A Mermaids Kiss (HG, Cato Oc)
by dolphindreamer11
Summary: Shelby Seasby volunteers for her sister to take part in the 74th annual Hunger Games. But how can she get home when she's lured out of the water instead of vice versa. The golden gladiator is determined to find what's underneath her scaly surface. And she's set on finding out what's hidden under his armour. Can she love a monster? Can the heartless boy have a heart?
1. Chapter 1

Hi, my name is Shelby Seasby and I'm 17 years old. I am the oldest of 7 children and I live in District 4, Panem. It's nice here, with our beaches, seas, everyone's nice and the sea air always lingers in the air. I wouldn't trade living here for the world. We live a good life, one of the Capitols favourite districts. We always have enough to eat, we have medicine and we have money. Most people live happily and die from old age or sea storms. Like my father. He died 2 years ago, when my mother was 8 months pregnant. Mother slipped away from the world. She's recovered physically, she works as a washerwoman, her wages and my money from helping at the centre keep us alive. But she'll never be the same.

Before I tell you about myself I want to explain something to you, so you don't jump to the usual conclusion. I am not a slut. I'm actually a virgin if you must know. I'm pretty. I can sing well. I am known as the best swimmer in 4. I can use a trident, sword, knives, bow and spear well (don't get me started on how hopeless I am at anything else though). But I am not how people make me out to be. I am not who anybody expects me to be or thinks I am. I could be popular, if I wanted to. I have many admirers but I've never liked them. Mother used to say that I'd find the right guy, but I guess I'm still looking. I'm not vain. Or cocky. Unlike many, even though having trained for 12 years and having the advantages I do not want to go into the Hunger games.

I have a slight tan, that brings out my sea-green eyes. My hair is long, down to my waist, in blonde waves. I have a good figure due to training and helping out at the marina. I am average height for my age.

My oldest younger sibling is my sister Star. She shares my colour hair, though hers is straight and shoulder length. She has my fathers sapphire blue eyes and cheeky smile. She has surprisingly pale skin, for our district, which she inherits from our mother along with freckles dotted across her nose. She is especially talented with knives, the best in 4 actually. And she's an amazing noose tier. She has a boyfriend as well as her own group of admirers. She's dating a kind man, who treats her well. She's 14 and incredibly independent.

Then comes the twins. They are identical in personality and appearance with their tanned skin, blue eyes, crop of brown hair,great humour and winning smiles. They excel particularly in swordsmanship and hand - to -hand. They are 11 and always causing trouble. There names are Neptune and Poseidon.

After them is Shark, who's 8. He has pale skin, my green eyes, blonde shaggy hair, as well as being the most serious kid I know. And you don't want to be near him when he's in a bad mood and armed with a spear!

Then comes 5 year old Dolphin. She's pale, with brown hair, blue eyes and the cutest little laugh.

Finally is baby Coral. She turned 2 yesterday. Her birthdays the day before the reaping. Unlucky, I guess. She has brown hair, tan, green eyes, freckles. She's adorable.

I open my eyes and realise that it's sunrise. And today, the day of the reaping, I have to get everyone ready. I quickly warm up some water, take a dip, washing away the salt from last nights swim. I dress in a pale blue dress, an old one of mothers and my favourite. I love how it feels. Soft and silky yet also a feeling of weightlessness. I grab an apple before going to wake Star. I ask her to sort out mother while I wake up the boys. I tell them to bathe, dress in their white or blue shirts, grey or black trousers and polished shoes. Then I bathe and dress Dolphin and Coral in there cute white dresses, both too young to understand the importance of today and Dolphin rambling on about how much she loves her new dress. I make sure everyone's eaten before leading us all too the square. I tell the boys to watch there sisters and mother, kiss Star good luck, sign in and join the other 17 year old girls in our make shift pen. I find Myra, the red corkscrew lighthouse keeper's daughter, my best friend. We join our hands together as the escort, named Panda boards the stage. He goes on about the honour and how much he loves the games. Then we watch a clip from the Capitol. And finally the reaping begins.

"As always, ladies first." Panda chuckles as he draws out a name. "Star Seasby." My heart stops beating. Silence. Nothing happens. I see Star slowly inching closer to her certain death, shaking, her eyes glazed over.

"Why isn't anyone volunteering?" I hiss worriedly to Myra.

"No one stepped forward this year." Myra apologises. I breath in carefully. I could never live with myself if Star died. That leaves only one option.

"I volunteer!" I yell. I run to the stage. My fishtail flying out behind me.

"Go find Mum Star." I whisper to her before joining Panda on the stage.

"What's your name, hun?" Panda asks.

"Shelby Seasby." I smirk. Better to start seeming like a career now.

"I bet my buttons that was your sister." Panda claps, thrilled by the tradegy. I nod, simply. Panda selects the boy, a 12 year old that I once taught to swim. What was his name? We shake hands and I'm led into my own little room in the Justice Building. What have I got myself into this time?

A peacekeeper opens the door.

"You have 5 minutes." He calls out in a gruff voice. I stand from where I'd been sitting on the windowsill only to be embraced by Star, tears dribbling down her face.

"Thank you." She whispers. I smile and wipe away some of her tears.

"Now, now, Starfish. Stop all those silly tears. You know how I am, I'll start crying and then how will I ever get into the careers. I could win. You know I can. Then we can live in our own big house and you'll finally have your own room." She smiles slightly.

"Shells?" Dolphin calls out.

"What Dolphin?" I ask, stooping down to her height.

"Were aw you gowing?" She asks, her tiny lisp muddling up her words.

"I'm just going away for a little bit, but then I'll come back. I promise." I kiss her forehead.

"Shelby." Neptune and Poseidon say.

"Stay-" Neptune starts.

"-safe." Poseidon finishes.

"Shells." My mothers soft voice startles me. She has tear filled eyes and has gone pale. I hug her tightly.

"Mum, you can't tune out. You have to keep working and stay strong." I tell her "They need you, especially if I don't come back. " She nods.

"Take this." She says, holding out fathers silver locker, found hung around his neck when his body washed ashore. I hug her again before returning to Star.

"Star, you have to keep them fed and clean. Carry on with my swimming classes for me and your shifts at the dock." I order and she nods. I kiss and hug them all in turn and then they're led away. Gone, forever.


	2. Chapter 2

Next comes Myra. We talk for a bit, hug, she say's I can win and then she's gone. I walk out and ask to be taken to the train.

"Are you sure. You still have a lot of visitors." He says.

"Visitors that I don't want to see." I correct him. He rolls his eyes and takes me to my escort and the 12 year old, who is currently crying. I resist the urge to help him but remember that if I am to get home he has to die. Ignoring him seems best. We board the train. The boy just hangs his head while I wave and play the crowd, it's things like this that the crowd eat up. And my crowd are filled with potential sponsors. When we get on the train we are met immediately by Finnick Odair.

"So your our tributes." Finnick says. "Mags is just through here." He leads us through to another room where I sit opposite him and the boy opposite Mags.

"Ok. So you're Shelby and Pete, right guys?" Finnick asks. I nod and Pete (So that's his name) just whimpers.

"So I'm your mentor Shelby and Pete, you're with Mags. Don't let the interior fool you, she did win this thing once." Pete nods slightly. "So Pete, Mags is going to discuss tactics with you here and me and Shelby will go talk somewhere else. Have a bit of secrecy." Finnick suggests as he leads me off to an identical room. He inspects me for a moment.

"Take your hair out." He instructs, to which I obey. "Perfect. I know just what to do with you. How do you think about your image being a watered down sexy?" He asks. I raise an eyebrow. "Enough to catch the sponsors and other tributes under your spell without being a slut." He explains to which I respond with a smile.

"Great." He replies to my nonverbal answer. "Let's get to work. What can you do." I think for a moment. I have to try and be honest, under and overestimating myself is dangerous.

"I can swim very well, I'm best with a trident, but I can use a sword, knives, spear and bow confidently. I'm also good at hand-to-hand." I say.

"Perfect." Finnick smiles warmly "In training feel free to swim and use a trident, everyone'll expect you to be able to use that. Use knives and a spear. Then leave the bow, hand-to-hand and sword until the game maker session, leave some skills hidden. Try your best on the compulsory exercises, you want to be seen as a threat. Don't seem to eager to be in the careers but if - no, when they ask you say yes." I nod. "In the interview you want to be remembered. Do you have a token?" I hold up my locket "Great! Explain the history behind it, tell about your life, how you volunteered to save your sister, stuff people can relate to and will make you memorable. Ceaser is great with helping, I'll give him a few conversation starters."

"Thanks." I say "I feel like I don't have to worry about anything. I'll be fine, won't I?!"

"Of course!" Finnick beams "You just have to look pretty and I'll do all the work... while looking pretty." I giggle slightly. "We'll be at the Capitol in around 2 hours, enjoy the ride. I'm sure you'll be back but how many times does one get to ride on a train like this? I've only been on one a handful of times. Have fun, forget about everything. take a shower, take a nap, eat, do whatever girls do." I nod and smile.

"See you later Finnick." He waves and I go find my room. I decide to get as much sleep as possible for hope it'll mean less time I'll be tired in the arena. I rest for around an hour before taking a shower. I change back into mothers dress and tie my hair in a plait bun. I find Finnick sheepherding Pete to the window.

"Wave, they'll love it!" Finnick encourages. Pete shakes his head childishly. He's only slightly older than the twins. I hope I don't have to kill many people, but I know that the rules of the games are kill or be killed. And I intend on getting home. I go to the window and wave to the crowd, sometimes blowing kisses that drives them crazy.

"You rule at this, girlfriend!" Finnick exclaims "You are a natural! They love you! Sponsors will be fighting over each other to send you gifts!" I giggle and continue waving. Finnick leads me through the crowds and into the building where all 24 tributes, 24 mentors, 24 stylists, 72 members of prep teams as well as gamemakers, avoxs and whoever else will be staying and the games truly begins. Who ever said that the Hunger Games started in the arena? We go to level 4, our floor, where I go to my room and change into some joggers and a baggy top. We eat dinner, so much so that I'm full. then we all watch the reapings.

In district 1 there's a 17 year old girl called Glimmer and a 17 year old boy called Marvel. Both volunteers.

"Get friendly with them. They'll be careers for sure." Finnick tells me.

"What about Pete?" I ask.

"While you try to befriend the careers he's decided to avoid the careers. We have a feeling that for some reason he won't be accepted." I nod in agreement but shoot Pete a 'sorry' look all the same.

The girl and boy from district 2 are both volunteers as well. The girl , Clove, looks sly, small and evil. She seems untrustable and a killer and despite a size, I know that she's a threat. A monstrous boy, Cato, lunges forward to volunteer. He has a stocky build, alpha male air, he screamed career captain as I'm sure he'll be.

"He's the one to impress, Shells." Finnick says, the look on his face meaning that the cogs in his head are turning. Oh boy. District 3 are both reaped. Then there's me. I can be interpreted differently. A cocky, sexy, gorgeous girl who doesn't want her sister to steal the glory. A girl who tries to save her sister. A weak girl who cares too much and is not Hunger Games material. I'll have to work hard to gain respect. The girl in district 5 looks cunning, she could be a threat. The boy from 10 has a crippled foot. The girl from 11 is small but could easily be hidden and by the looks of it is fast. The boy is a threat for sure, no way could I overpower him. A girl from 12 volunteers for her sister and the boy looks well - fed surprisingly.

"Hope you were making mental notes, you'll need them later." Finnick says. I nod.

"District 1 and 2 are careers. There names are Glimmer, marvel, Clove and Cato. They all volunteered. I have to try to befriend them but not seem to eager to be a career. Cato will most likely be the leader so I want to impress him most. 3 was normal. They could be used as a guard and somehow protect the supplies by maybe doing something with the bombs they place under the plates. I appeared too weak so I need to prove myself more. The girl from 5 seems quite sly and smart so she'll last a while and is a target in disguise. The boy from 10 has a crippled foot. The girl from 11 is small but looks fast and as if she's be good at hiding. The boy from 11 is big and I can't take him out on my own so he's a threat. The girl from 12 volunteered for her sister but could have some kind of skill. You can't ignore a volunteer from an outline district, families don't often volunteer for each other and the boy from 12 looked well fed and strong for their district." I conclude. Finnick hugs me and talks to Mags.

"This girl has promise. You're practically already the victor!" I laugh slightly, feeling bad for Pete.

"I'm going to bed. Don't want to sleep too much in the arena." I say. I shower again before climbing into the warm bed and falling asleep. I wake up in the middle of the night, calling out for Star, mother, father. But none of them are here. I check the time and see that it's 3am. I'll be needed at 7am anyway. I decide to avoid sleep for now and take a shower to help me wake up. I know I shower a lot but I'm just used to water and it helps. I dress in the joggers and top from yesterday seeing as it's just until my prep team arrive and pull my hair into a ponytail. I grab some breakfast, even though it's now only 4am. I eat until 5, trying to get as much food into my system as possible before the games, trying to add to my weight. Tonight is the parade so I'll be with my prep team all day. I wonder around for a bit. I find Finnick at half 5, who is, like me, used to waking at sunrise.

"Is there a roof, Finnick?" I ask. I feel cooped up, I long to be outside, in the sea. Outside is as close as I can get.

"Yeah, I'll take you." Me and Finnick sit in the sunlight and talk about 4 until 6.30 when Finnick says my prep team will be here soon and he wants to talk to my stylist to make sure he received whatever instructions. I'm greeted by my prep team and can't help but marvel them. The first is a fat woman with black skin, nails, hair, everything! She introduces herself as "Black." Then is a man with crazy green tinted hair. Apart from that he seems more like a clown with baggy clothing, pale face and OTT make - up. He says his name is "Chezewa" Finally is a quiet woman who has normal skin, prominent make up, straight, forrest green hair that touches the ground and a huge, sticky-out dress. She is called "Zetec"

I am washed, waxed, brushed, cut, polished, dried, examined, etc. Then we have a lunch break before they do my nails, hair and make-up. Black does my nails a beautiful bluey-green that seems to change colour constantly although I think it's just the light or something. Chezewa does my hair. It's washed, and slightly waved to give it a sea-swept look. He puts some pearls in a certain part of my hair and sprays a hair spray that's all glittery on my hair. Zetec does my make up. A foundation that seems to make my face glow. A beautiful sea green blended with a silvery tealy blue. mascara. And slightly pink lips. I'm beautiful. Then I'm taken to my Stylist, Livaus. He seems ...normaler than my prep team. He has adnoramlly pale skin but apart from that and a weensey bit of make-up he seems OK.

"This is Finnicks idea, it's absolutely wonderful, we were thinking that because you come from District 4, that specialises in fish, and this is a fishermen's folk tale, it's amazing really, we thought we'd present you as a mermaid!" My heart sinks slightly, but I trust Finnick. I'm instructed to close my eyes and feel the silky material of my costume on my skin. When I open my eyes I don't recognise myself. My dress is gorgeous. It's thois beautiful sea colour that shimmers. ( **The dress is the one from taylor Swifts music video 'Teardrops on my guitar')**. The straps rest on ,my shoulders and the top part is tight around chest. The skirt is long and floaty. I look at myself in the mirror, the skirts too long to even twirl. I look magical. I look like a mermaid.


	3. Chapter 3

I stand still as Finnick inspects me, walking around, feeling the material of my dress. It's weird to see him so,...so serious. Then he steps back and beams.

"It's even better than I could've hoped for!" He declares "Everyone will want you, want to be you or want to kill you!"

"I don't think I like any of them." I say reproachfully.

"I mean you look perfect. Beautiful. Just how I wanted! Not too slutty yet eye catching, breath taking!" He clutches his hands together and sighs dreamily.

"Now, I want you too smile and wave but also seem slightly mysterious. They need to know that you can kill. The looks are for attention. So your noticeable. But you need them to want to know more! You need to seem magical!" Finnick claps his hands together in a schoolgirlish way and jumps up and down.

"I think I finally have a victor!" He squeals and I roll my eyes.

"Are we going to leave now?" I ask and he nods. I takes me, lifting up the skirting around my hips, my prep team and stylist holding the skirts and Finnick holding the end to make it to the parade hall, the dress clean and unscratched. I eye the chariot carefully.

"Finnick, I don't think it's going to fit on the chariot!" I tell him. He chuckles.

"That's the idea. I want it to flow out behind you like water!" I nod. "Now I'm going to go, how embarrassing would it be to have your escort babysitting you?! I'll see you after the parade. I'm off to go talk sponsors!" He waves and disappears.

"Why'd we have to get here so early?" I ask.

"We couldn't have the other tributes getting in the way and trampling on your dress." Livaus explains and I nod, looking around at all the vacant chariots and lack of people. As my prep team are putting on the finishing touches to my make-up the district one tributes come in, in bright magneta outfits.

"Oh my gosh! I love your dress!" The girl, Glimmer declares, running over and picking up the skirt, stroking it.

"Yeah, it's beautiful!" I agree, carefully. Can I trust them? No. Does Finnick want me to befriend them? Yes. Why? To help me get into the careers.

"So are you! I'm Glimmer and this is Marvel. We're from District 1!" She squeals, reminding me of Finnick earlier.

"I'm Shelby, from District 4." I reply. "I like your outfits too." I finish politely. The boy scrunches up his nose while Glimmer claps her hands, again like Finnick.

"I know! It's so glittery and sparkely and,...pink!" I laugh lightly and look at Marvel.

"Pink not your colour?" I tease and he chuckles.

"No. We're not all like Glimmer." I nod, but feel that he's telling me not to try to please Glimmer. I smile to myself. It's too easy. District 1 down, 2 more tributes to go, though I fear these will be harder fish to catch.

"Shelby, we have to sort out your skirts." Livaus reminds me, bringing me back to the real world. I smile to the district 1 tributes.

"See you later." They wave goodbye and are bustled off by their stylists and prep teams. While my prep team fiddle with my skirts and I'm lectured on Livaus about how to stand, where to have my hand on the chariot, how to hold onto the chariot, how to wave, how to smile, how to blow kisses I feel a gaze on me. I turn around and see the district 2 tributes. The girl glaring at me as if I am her prey, which I suppose I am and the boy looking hungrily at my body, a smirk plastered across his face. I shudder and turn back around. I see Clove walk past me. not before sending me another glare. I wonder momentarily where Cato is, the bulky, career pack leader. I shake off the thought and try to focus on what's Livaus is telling me, though it goes through one ear and out the other. I notice how the district 2 tributes were dressed in golden armour. Suitably better for their personalities than districts. I'm sure it's supposed to be linked into warriors and victors instead of rocks. Suddenly I'm pulled out of my trance by the sound of breathing and hot breath against my neck. I jump slightly in surprise and turn around to see Cato. The odds are so totally in my favour right now, not.

"Hi." He smirks, his eyes, icy blue, not focused on my face but what's underneath the bodice of my gorgeous dress.

"Hello." I reply, sounding small, weak, crossing my arms deliberately where his gaze was. He frowns slightly, moving his gaze up to my face and looking into my eyes, cocking his head slightly, causing me to feel uncomfortable. "Did you w-want some-something?" I slightly stutter, inwardly kicking myself. I'm so dead right now.

"No." He replies, not moving.

"Are you going to go." I say, this time sounding irritated instead of weak. He smirks.

"Thought I'd let you know that I want you in the careers." I raise an eyebrow. Don't seem eager. "Not for a proper ally, you look like you couldn't hurt a fly, but for sponsors and,.. entertainment." My mouth literally drops open.

"No." I growl, infuriated that he's offering me a slightly longer life for the use of my body and self-earned sponsors.

"No?" He asks in disbelief before shrugging his shoulders. "You'll come around. I'm on the 2nd floor, the first room to the right when the corridors fork. You'll come by, I promise you that. You'd enjoy it. They always do." He laughs slightly and walks over to his chariot chuckling. I glare at his back and snarl. I will not come round. I will win this thing without the help of the careers. I'll tell Finnick I want to go solo. The rest of the tributes slowly appear. Pete, dressed in the same fabric as a cape and trousers, revealing his stomach, which hasn't even a trace of muscles, not what I think was intended.

"I look ridiculous, don't I?!" Pete whimpers. I shake my head although he does. My prep team finish off anything final, a quick recoat of lip-gloss, another squirt of the glittery glittery hairspray, an adjustment of the sleeves. Then district 1 is pulling out. I position myself, feet in the right place, correct posture, hand placed delicately in the right place, the right smile and whatever else I needed. Livaus shoots me a thumbs up and smile and then, I'm out there.

The crowd screams and roars, I smirk slightly, my eyes hard but wave and wink, blowing the occasional kiss. I look up at the screen to see it focused on me and wow, does the dress look good. Like real, running sea water. Like a mermaids tail. I look like a mermaid. I laugh softly before returning to my performance. Near the end District 12 come out on fire but I don't mind, I've basically had the rest of the show and it's not as if the cameras are ignoring me. Every now and then they flick between them and me. We're led off and my prep team rush to my aid. When I ask them to help me, so I can carry it myself they oblige, helping me wrap it up and sling it over an arm.

"Where's Finnick?" I ask.

"Just sealing a deal with a sponsor, he'll be here in a minute." I nod in understanding.

"How was I?" I ask.

"Perfect!" Livaus squeals. He begins talking but I zone out asnd decide to take in my competition face to face. I look around and see district 12. They could be good sponsors, seeing as I've blown any chance I had with the careers. I see the girl, Katniss, turn around and follow her gaze to ,...Cato. Of course. He's glaring at her and district 12's mentor leads them away. I smirk at his cowardice before noticing Cato's glare on me. Of course. Me and 12 stole the show, the lime light,...and the sponsors. Cato's practically doomed. My smirk grows at his fury before telling Livaus that I'll meet up with him at the apartment. I stand, waiting for Finnick, deciding that it's better to tell him about my fight with Cato outside of the apartments, around nothing breakable. I stand, skirts on one arm, my free hand on my hips. My strappy, silver heels are starting to make my feet ache.

"Hurry up Finnick." I mutter

"You know they say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness." I hear. I spin around, my heel catching on a stray part of my skirt, causing me to fall. I let out a small shriek and feel a muscular arm wrap around my back, keeping me up. Cato looks down on me, snickering.

"Already falling for me, mermaid?" He smirks and I growl.

"You wish, 2." I reply.

"You know, my offer is still valid. If we go now we should have enough time." I roll my eyes.

"In your dreams."

"Maybe." My eyes widen. Did he basically just tell me that he thinks about me naked? MY cheeks flush and he chuckles, it vibrating through his chest that my shoulder is pressed into. I fold my arms, realising that he hasn't put me down and I'm pressed right into him.

"You can put me down now, Cato." I tell him, raising an eyebrow as he sets my feet on the ground and helps me catch my balance.

"Thought you were enjoying the view." He observes.

"You wish." I shoot back. He shrugs and I nearly puke.

"You know, 2, I don't want to have to make it any clearer. We. Are. In. The. Hunger. Games. Not. A. Beauty. Pageant. Without. The. Careers. You. Are. As. Good. As. Dead." I glare at him.

"I can fight." I tell him.

"And I play the flute." He replies sarcastically.

"I can." I huff indignantly.

"Oh yeah?" Cato scoffs. "Prove it."

"How?" I ask, dumbfounded.

"Hurt me, if you have the guts." HE whispers huskily into my ear, causing me to shiver and him to smirk. I see Finnick and smile at him, as he walks towards us. I knee Cato in the groin, hard. He kneels over in pain and I laugh.

"I'm not just a pretty face." I laugh as I walk towards Finnick, my skirt flicking him in the face.

"What the hell did you do?" Finnick asks exasperatedly.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Just want to say some thank yous to people who have currently been reading, following, liking and commenting.**

 **Pinkgirl1224 - Thank you for following and I hope you're enjoying so far. ;D**

 **Ravynne Queene - For favouriting (Is that a word), following and commenting. I'm glad you think that it's started well and I hope you do continue to read. I'm glad your eagerly awaiting. It's summer so I'm basically living on my laptop right now, so more chapters are to come! LOL. I'm glad your liking how I'm portraying Cato and you like Shelby. She certainly did put him in his place. Thanks for your comments and I hope you continue to read, loike and comment on your thoughts, you'll honestly never know how much I love all my comments, likes and criticism. I keep them all in a folder, no joke. What do you think about Finnick, am I portraying him OK right now, because I'm a bit clueless. Thank you so much for all yopur support so far and I'm glad you're enjoying Royally Bummed as well. I'm glad you think this is awesome and sorry that this will probably be the only update today seeing as I woke up at 2pm. Opps! Not sure I'd say I have talent but your PM made me smile ;D Glad you love my stories. Stay cool!**

 **Mistakenidentity02 - Thanks for following and I hope you enjoy! ;D**

 **Onto the story! (P.S I'd already written this chapter but when I pressed save it deleted it all, so not sure how it's going to be).**

Finnick takes me to a more private area and I hesitantly explain what just happened.

"Yes!" Finnick squeals "You. Are. A. Genius! I don't know how but Cato likes you! We can use this!" I roll my eyes and we walk to the elevator. The doors are just closing when we hear someone yell.

"Hold it." Finnick grabs the door and Brutus comes in joined by,...Cato. He glares at me before walking in. I roll my eyes and Finnick smirks.

The elevator jerks into life, much to my horror, causing a yelp to erupt from my mouth. Cato smirks and Finnick rolls his eyes. I hate things that jerk around, something surprising for my district is that I actually get sea sick and travel sick. I breath slowly, trying not to panic but imagining how embarrassing it would be if I threw up right now. The doors open and Cato and Brutus leave. When the doors close Finnick smirks at me.

"He was totally just ogling at your butt!" I blush and stroll out, off into our floor. I go to my room, carefully placing my dress across from my bed so not to spoil it. I shower and go to sleep. My dreams filled with mermaids, people burning to death, pink things and a roman gladiator stabbing me in the heart. I wake up with a start at 4am. I watch sunrise on the roof before heading back down for breakfast. I shower and change into my training uniform. A tight fitting top that has thin straps that rest on my shoulders and finishes above my bellybutton and flat stomach, the top making my bust look bigger and also having a four on the back in blue. The trousers are also fitted and hug my butt and thighs, finishing above my ankles. I also have black running shoes. I tie my hair messily in it's usual fishtail and set off to find Finnick. He's in the food cart.

"You look great Shells!" He explains, causing me to blush.

"Isn't it a little...revealing?" I blush. He laughs and shakes his head.

"We want Cato on our side. He may come from 2 but he's still a hormonal teen. I want you on tridents, machetes, fire building and edible food today. They have other stations. Don't go there yet. They have a pool. Not today." I sigh and he sighs with me. "I know you want to get back in the water but I've got Livaus working on a costume for you. You do not want to see the centres. Yuck!" He laughs as I roll my eyes and set off to training. The tributes from 1, 2, 5, 7, 9 and 11 are already there. I stand by myself boldly, ignoring the gaping tributes. I look around, taking in my competition again. The careers are standing together, whispering and looking at me. I roll my eyes and cross my arms. The head trainer, Atla, gives a short talk once everyone's arrived. The looks the careers are giving me is pissing me off so I go off to the tridents. The trainer starts explaining how to use them when I hold up my hand.

"I come from 4." I say pointing to my back. "I've grown up with these, I know how to use them." He nods and let's me pick up one that is perfect for my body structure. I see the careers looking at me and smirk. I throw the trident from 20 meters and it hits the dummy square in the throat. I pick up another one and throw it at a different dummy, from 25, hitting it's chest. I throw again, always hitting where I want. I spend an hour on the tridents before going over to fire building, having some experience as an upperhand. I learn many different ways and always have a fire within 3 minutes. I smirk and after an hour go to the edible food station. I spend 2 hours, memorising and revising strategies and tecnichues in which to remember about edible and poisons food. I think I'm pretty safe.

Next is lunch. I'm sitting down on my own when the careers join me. Cato looks at me stonily.

"We want you in the careers." He says.

"I told you. I'm not going to be your fuck toy Cato." I growl and his eyes harden.

"This isn't about Cato. We want you in. We were wrong about you. You look like a strong fighter." Clove snarls.

"I don't want to be in the careers." I tell them.

"Then your suicidal. 11 won't be a career either and barely anyone can take him on. And it would be a shame if you died in the bloodbath." Cato tells me, mockingly. I shake my head.

"I don't want to be in the careers." I repeat and Glimmer sighs.

"Just leave her, she won't join, Cato." She says and something clicks in his mind.

"Fine." He says, after shooting me a look. A look that yells 'I always get my way'. I know that this won't be my only run in with the Careers. they'll be back.

I spend the rest of the day working on machetes. I'm not very good with them but after a few hours I can deliver a vital hit with it. I go back to floor 4 and have dinner. Finnick checks in on me after I've retired to my room.

"So, how'd it go." He prompts.

"The careers offered again and I told them no." I say stiffly and I hear Finnick sigh.

"You're a hopeless case Shelby, you know that right?" He groans "You can swim tomorrow, I'll leave the bikini here in the morning. Swimming, knives, shelter and camouflage tomorrow." I nod and with that he's gone. From sheer exhaustion I'm soon fast asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hi guys. I'm feeling a bit sad right now. I found out between posting the last chapter and now that my cousins dog died :( He lived a long happy life though and he's with the angels now. Thank you all for reading my books. Whenever things get bad I go through all the comments and it fills me with hope. I went through a tough time a few months ago and Fanfiction really helped. I channel my emotions through my work (like Cinna!) and your guys commenting, liking, following and reading alone is amazing. I love you guys!**

I wake up at 5am today. That's an improvement. I shower and dress in my training suit. I have some breakfast and find a blue bikini (which is quite revealing) on my chair. I undress quickly to put it on and then redress. I find Finnick and he smiles.

"Wearing the bikini?" He asks and I nod. "Enjoy yourself kiddo. No body else should be down for another half hour." I smile.

"Thank you." I smile and rush down to the training centre. No ones there and I leave my clothes on the side. I realise that my hair is down and I haven't got a band. I consider going to get it but decide against it. I sit with my feet dipped in the pool at first, relishing in the feel of it against my skin. A huge smile spreads across my face. This is the first time I have been truly happy since Star's name was called. I get out and stand over the deep end. With one swift dive, I cut through the surface, my hair flying out behind me. I swim underwater for a few seconds, before coming back up for air. I hear clapping and turn around to see none other than Cato. I raise an eyebrow and he snickers.

"What do you want?" I growl, irritated by his presence. Does he have to ruin everything.

"I just came down for some practice. Seriously though, your good." I roll my eyes.

"I live in 4, of course I'm good." Is my snide reply.

"Maybe I'll come down earlier more often, seeing semi-naked girls is definitely an encouragement." I blush as he laughs and walks over to the swords. I swim until lunch before doing the other requested stations. I swim for a bit after before heading back to floor 4.

"How was your swim?" Finnick asks.

"Amazing." I breathe happily and he chuckles.

"Did Cato see your skimpy form." I roll my eyes.

"Yeah, the arrogant ass." I snarl.

"GO shower you smelly girl." Finnick sighs. "And tomorrow do whatever else you want, skills you think you'll need and some things for the gamemakers." I nod and retire for the night.

In the morning I wake up at 3am again and get ready. I'm at the centre by 5 and spend 2 hours practicing for the game makers. TRhen I go to survival sessions until my name is called to work on things I may potentially need in the arena. My name's called and I chug down some water and follow the poor avoxes that have faced situations worse than death and will be slaves for the Capitol for the rest of their lives. I'm presented to the Gamemakers who nod to show their acknowledgment. I'm 8th, they're not bored yet. I throw knives, including a few flips, use a sword, hand - to - hand, swimming, trident and bow and arrows. They clap and I'm dismissed. I see Pete sitting nervously in the lounge.

"Hey Pete, how do you think it went?" I ask, sitting down next to him.

"Terrible, I couldn't even weild a sword, start a fire and I was so embarrassed I messed up the simplest knot! How about you?"

"It was OK." I say, not wanting to tell him how well I think it went. That'll upset him more.

"I can't believe you rejected the Careers!" Pete laughs and I chuckle, half-heartedly.

"2, the boy that is, pisses me off." I tell him and he laughs again. Soon, we're all seated around the TV. Pete clings to my hand and I whisper reassuringly to him. Ceaser's face appears and the scores come up. Marvel and Glimmer with 9's, Cato and Clove with 10's, the district 3's with low scores, Pete with a 3. Tear's slide down his cheeks, which I wipe away.

"You were nervous, you'll be fine without the pressure." I reassure him. My face appears and I hold my breath. An 11 pops up. I gasp. All hell breaks lose as people congratulate me. I smile happily. 12, the girl, also get's an 11. We're officially the one's to beat, her and I. Hogging the cameras in the parade, highest training scores I'll just have to top her in the interviews.

 **AN: Sorry it's short. Another update will come tomorrow.**


	6. Chapter 6

I wake up at 3am. Today's the interviews. I'll be made pretty and shown off to the world. Great. Time to top 12. I grab a long breakfast, still content on gaining weight. I've seen what happens. People go in and come out half the size. At 5, I retreat to the roof and am called back 2 hours later. I'm taught how to walk in heels, stand, speak, say. Then I'm with Finnick.

"I want you to say something." He says. "Something that will leave 12 boys hoping for. You need to say you like, like one of them. But not say who. I don't care if you do or don't but it should wind up Cato a fair bit. And other tributes. I've already told Ceaser what to do. I know you can do this. You've been drawing with Katniss this whole time but it's your time to shine. Let's blow this whole thing out of the water!" I smile and me and Finnick fist bump. My stylist work on me again and then I'm being beautified. I have a smokey eye, eye make-up and dark red lipstick. My foundation makes my face glow and I hold a sexy yet mysterious air. My hair is tied into a high ponytail and some sections are frizzed while the most of it is straightened. It's held in place by a large but neatly place dark blue bow. My nails are painted the same colour. I close my eyes as I'm led to Livaus, as he slips on my dress and zips it up. I gasp when I open my eyes. The dress is beautiful, the same dark blue as my ribbon and nails. It has a sweetheart bodice, lined with diamonds and finishes, in net ruffles above my knees. The bodice is corset like and my skirt is puffy, the fabric covering layers of blue netting. I'm placed in black heels, around 10 cm high and I'm done.

I'm led to backstage, where the other tributes are also lined up ; I'm surprised to find that I'm one of the last ones. As I walk to my place, in front of Pete, who is dressed in a dark blue waistcoat and grey trousers and behind the district 3 girl, who wears a light grey dress, tributes turn to gape, gawp and stare. I look amazing, better than them. I notice the careers turn around. Glimmer, who wears a pinky-gold revealing dress, frowns, she's playing full on sexy. She might as well walk out naked and be shoving her boobs in peoples faces. I'm being mysteriously gorgeous, making them lust after me and wonder in my wake. Glimmer is obviously recognising that my version beats hers. It leaves people begging for mercy ; how it'll be in the arena. I don't want to kill, but I will to get home. Marvel looks like some 70's comic book character, in a blue and yellow block suit, including his face right now. His mouth is open, eyes wide and his eyebrows seem to have disappeared into his hair. Clove holds a glare and look of unfairness, as if she wishes for my dress instead of her peachy princess one. I'd pick mine over hers. And that leaves Cato. Cato. The brutal, monstrous career pack leader. The killer. The boy from 2. The boy who wears a teal suit and an awed expression. I've never seen him so unravelled. His eyes wonder up and down my body, causing me to blush. I stand in my place and avoid his gaze; him not so much. His eyes never leave my body, focusing on pretty awkward places.

"You look pretty." Pete tells me and I smile at him. I bend down to his height and ruffle his head of curls.

"Thank you. You look great as well. Go show the Capitol what you're made of, OK?" I tell him and he nods eagerly. I chuckle.

"That's me boy." We high five before I stand up again to see Cato looking at me strangely.

"What?" I ask roughly. He shrugs but his eyes still don't leave mine, or my body when I look away. What is up with that guy?! Soon Glimmer is called and the interviews take off. As expected Glimmer is over the top flirty, Marvel is funny, Clove is sadist and then there's Cato.

"So Cato, I take it you're the career leader?" Ceaser asks.

"Of course, Ceaser. I'm the best trained, best fighter, best looking. Best suited for the job." He chuckles arrogantly.

"Best looking hey?" Ceaser chuckles along, helping Cato be his usual cocky self.

"Of course, Ceaser. I've seen a man better looking than myself." He smirks and Ceaser nods.

"I think many of the audience members would agree with you there, wouldn't you folks!" Ceaser asks and the Capitol roars, causing Cato to smirk even more.

"You know Ceaser, being this handsome is so exhausting!" He moans and Ceaser nods in understanding.

"You must have many girls hanging around." Ceaser pitties.

"Oh Ceaser, they flock in their thousands." Cato replies , shaking his head.

"But is there a special lady, is what I think everyone wants to know." Ceaser asks, truly intrigued. Cato stops, thinking for a moment.

"I'm, I'm working on it." He nods.

"So it's a fellow tribute." Ceaser muses and crowd erupt again. He's playing them just like I plan too.

"So Cato, one last question. Are you ready for the games?" Cato smirks hugely.

"I'm prepared, I'm vicious and I'm ready to go!" The crowds reaction is so huge that you barely hear the buzzer sound.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Cato Ludwig!" He strolls off and the district 3 tributes have their interviews. And now it's me. I'm introduced and I stroll how I was taught. A way that seems to make the crowd scream. It's a mysterious yet sexy stroll. Showing off my legs and my feet, a strangely beautiful way to walk. I sit how I was taught to in the chair and smile at Ceaser, who for once seems speechless.

"So Shelby, I'm sure that there is no shortage of people who would agree that you lookm ravishing!" Ceaser gasps and I giggle, all eyes on me.

"Yes, I look stunning, don't I?! Livaus is a boss at this, first the tribute parade and now this! It's just incredible. I hope I get to work with him again." Ceaser nods in understanding. This could be my last night of looking pretty.

"So, a pretty face like you. There's got to be a special someone. Am I right?" The audience applause but I shake my head.

"No, there isn't Caeaser. Though I won't lie, I've had no shortage of admirers over the years." I reply, smiling dazzling.

"But is there someone that you maybe like?" Ceaser prompts, as I know Finnick must've told him too.

"Well, there is this one boy. But he's not from back home, he's a tribute too." I breathe and the audience roar with applause. I smile to myself, too easy.

"Can you tell us who?" Ceaser prompts but I shake my head.

"Now, Ceaser, that would be telling. I will say that... he is like no other, I'll give him that. He...affects me like I have never known I could be. "

Then the buzzer sounds and Ceaser frowns.

"Well that's time up. And we never got to ask how you got that 11 or if you're in with the careers." Cedaser cries and I giggle as we stand up.

"You know I'm not aloud to tell Ceaser and no, I'm not. I've decided to go solo." I answer and the audience gasp.

"I give you Shelby Seasby of District 4!" The audience erupt as I wave, smile and blow kisses as I walk of the stage.


	7. Chapter 7

The interviews continue as I watch from the side-lines. Other tributes go to there rooms to finish watching but I stay where I am, knowing I'd have to watch the recaps otherwise. Pete bursts into tears, the sly but smart looking girl from 5 uses long, smart words and talks fast and fluently, the girl, who can be no older than 12, from 11 sits and convinces Ceaser that she has a chance, being fast and small, the boy from her district sits silently, nodding, shaking his head or not answering at all. Katniss spins around in her flame dress, so we're still even, but then the boy goes and announces undying love for her and it blows _me_ right out of the water. I growl, turn on my heel and storm off, back to my floor. I looked stunning but so did Katniss, I was 7th and she 23rd. That means she fresher in peoples minds. I have lost this round. I have lost sponsors. I growl as I strom into my floor, kicking off my heels as I do so.

"What's wrong, Shells?" Finnick asks, concerned.

"12 completely stole the show!" I growl.

"Relax, kiddo, I already secured loads of sponsors. And did you hear Cato? He was talking about you!"

"No, he was talking about Glimmer or Clove or someone. He was so not talking about me. All he thinks about me is that I'd be a good fuck." I snarl in reply.

"No, Shells, he was talking about you. When you were having your interview his eyes were trained on you. And then he left the second the buzzer sounded. He can't keep his eyes off you. He really likes you." He soothes.

"Oh, shut up Finnick!" I yell and storm out, without my shoes on. I don't know where I'm going until I'm on the roof. I walk over to where I know the force field is and lean on the railings, feeling so close to the edge that I'd never reach.

"Well, hello, Mermaid." I hear and spin around, to face Cato.

"Are you stalking me now, 2?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Hmph, as if. I spend my time with people who are worth it?" I frown at this.

"And I aren't." I ask in reply.

"No." There's a silence in which I glare at him and he smirks. He is so irritating.

"I know I'm the tribute." He says bluntly.

"The what?" I ask, generally confused.

"The boy you like. Who you spoke about in the interview." He is such a consisted ass.

"And why do you think it's you?" I ask. How cocky can you get.

"Who else would it be?" He asks, surprised I seem to think that there's more thank one answer.

"Well, Marvel is really good with a spear-" I start.

"-So am I!" Cato insists.

"And then there's Thresh, maybe I like the silent and brooding guys." I continue, ignoring him. "And peeta is just so cute and kind!" I sigh and this sets Cato over the edge.

"I'm the tribute." He says, his voice rising, as he takes a step forward. I instinctively take a step back and my back hits the railings, hard.

"I'm the tribute! Aren't I?!" Cato says, his voice much colder and stronger. He takes another step forward and I look at him. His eyes are dark and angry, it honestly scares me.

"How do you know?" I mutter "There are 11 other boys that it could be."

"I AM THE TRIBUTE!" He roars, coming closer and pressing me back, so I'm pressed against the railings and forcefield. He presses his arm against my neck and I struggle to breath. I pant slightly and he glares at me. "I AM THE TRIBUTE!" He yells it in my face and I can feel his hot breath on my face.

"Calm down." I try to soothe but just like with me, it backfires.

"SHUT UP!" He roars "I AM THE TRIBUTE" I ignore him and try to breath though his arm is pressing into my throat even harder.

"Stop." I cal, out but he seems to angered to listen to the pleads.

"TELL ME THAT I AM THE TRIBUTE!" I close my eyes and try to breath as my vision starts to blur and I see dark spots.

"Shells, where are -" I hear Finnick calling, abruptly to stop when he sees me.

"What's going on?" He asks, confused that his 'masterplan' has seemingly failed him.

"Maybe I'd answer that if I could breath." I call out hoarsely, feeling the arm release me and I crumple to the ground, panting.

"let's get you back." I hear Finnick say, hooking my arm around him and helping me stumble back to our floor. Cato says nothing, the bastard. I faint.

When I wake I am in my room and Finnick is drifting off to sleep in the armchair across from the bed.

"Finnick." I groan "What happened?" Finnick seems to come back to the real world quickly and shoots me a smile.

"Cato. You fainted before we were even off the roof." I roll my eyes and sigh, leaning back into the soft, warm cushions. I wonder if that's what Cato's lips feel like. Wait. What? Where the hell did that come from?!

"You should've seen him though. I think he was just angry, when he pulled away he looked like he really regretted what he'd just done. What did he do?"

"He just, kind of, appeared and started demanding that I told him that he was the boy I was talking about." I shudder at the memory of him roaring in my face.

"That's even better than we could've hoped for!" Finnick chirps "He comes demanding that he's the boy, which means that he wants to be the boy and when you're silent he takes it as a no and becomes angry." I rub the back of my neck sheepishly.

"I kind of didn't help, I sort of started saying things...and..." Finnick holds his hand up for silence as I trail off.

"What's done is done." He concludes. "Get some sleep. No sneaking off for who noes how long tonight. Tomorrow you go into the arena and if you insist on not being a career than you want to get your sleep now." He walks out, shaking his head about awkward tributes and the damn capitol, etc, etc. Slowly sleep lures me in.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: OMG! How the hell has this story come so far in 4 DAYS ! 8 chapters, 4 reviews, over 10,000 words (after this chapter), 2 favourite's and 3 followers. In 4 DAYS! It's so crazy and I love how active you guys have been throughout the book so far. You will literally never know and understand how much your guys support means to me. Keep it up! SHOUT - OUT'S to,**

 **Pinkgirl1224,**

 **Ravynne Queene,**

 **mistakenidentity02,**

 **WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper,**

 **Stjarna22.**

 **Without you guys reviewing, favouriting, following and reading this story wouldn't have come so far. And around 175 reads! Thank you guys so much!**

I wake up at around 6. Good, finally I slept good. I shower, tie my hair in it's usual fishtail, put on the arena clothes. A redy-brown lose tee, good for heat I notice, not too thick. A pair of light brown camo trousers. Black running trainers. I find Finnick and we hug.

"Don't go into the bloodbath. The careers are out for you now. You can do hand-to-hand, climb run. Avoid the careers as much as possible. Get to water and find food. If you don't know what something is, don't approach it. You can do this Shells, I believe in you." We hug again and then Pete and Mags walks in. Pete is crying slightly so I hug him too.

"Hey, little guy. Turn off those waterworks. Don't let them win." He nods and I brush away his tears. We sit down for a silent breakfast. I eat as much as I can, not knowing when my next meal will be. I bid goodbye to my prep team and Finnick takes me to the hovercraft.

"I'm here. I'm always here. You're not alone in the arena Shells. You have me. You're coming home, Ok? You're coming home." We hug and then I have to go. I send Finnick a small smile and he gives me a thumbs up and a beam. I'm shoved into the craft and end up next to Glimmer who constantly glares at me. When we're all on the hovercraft's engine rev's and the windows black out. A peacekeeper inserts my tracker into me and after around an hour, we're there. Wherever there is, exactly. I meet up with Livaus who zips me up in a waterproof jacket. He hands me my locket.

"Can't have you without your token." He smiles as he ties it around my neck. Then the women's voice sounds. 1 minute until I could die. 1 minute left of humanity. Livaus hugs me tightly.

"You've been a pleasure to work with Shelby and I look forward to working with you again." I will miss Livaus and my crazy prep team and OTT escort and eccentric Finnick. I really will. 30 seconds. I stand in the tube. 20 seconds. I clasp my hand around the locket and take a deep breath. This is for you Dad, Mum, Star, Neptune, Poseidon, Shark, Dolphin, little Coral. I will not leave you. 10 seconds. The doors close and this is it. Time up. The tube begins to rise. Let the Hunger Games commence!

The arena is bright. I cover my eyes at first. There are trees to the left of the cornucopia and bristle grass that stands 6 feet tall to the right. 50 seconds. The cornucopia holds packs of vital supplies and weapons. But Finnick told me no. I'll head to the woods. 40 seconds. I look to my left. I'm stood next to the girl from 9 and next to her is Cato. He's glaring at me. His position is fixed to run at me. I can't go left. 30 seconds. I look to my right. Next to me is Marvel, glaring at me and he too, is positioned to run to me. I can't go right. 20 seconds. Clove is stood to the top right, next to Pete, who looks like he's about to run into a full-out bloodbath. Glimmer must be on the other side. 10 seconds. I look around again and catch Cato's eye., He points at himself, vaguely over to where Glimmer must stand, to Clove and then to Marvel. He smirks and points at me. They want to catch and kill me for rejecting and outdoing them over and over. I position myself to run to the bloodbath. Grab a weapon and a pack and get out of there. maybe I can lose the careers in the crowd of it. 3, 2, 1.

I bolt into the bloodbath. I'll need a weapon. I've already run past a few in hope of outrunning the careers. I stoop down to pick up a trident, a pack about a meter away. I've just regained balance and am about to grab the pack when I feel hands around my neck. I cough and splutter as they squeeze slightly before resting there. I try to fight my way out but they squeeze again.

"Nah uh, you don't say no to the careers , Shelby." I hear Marvel say. I catch sight of Clove throwing a knife in our direction which Marvel catches and holds to my throat instead, the blade teasingly sticking into my skin. I growl in frustration as I see the other careers start the bloodbath, screams and cries filling the air. I see Pete scramble into the cornucopia, to hide. I want to yell out at him but don't, for risk of him being found and killed. I'm forced to watch as innocent lives are taken, mostly by the other careers. It takes around 30 minutes and the once green grass has turned a sickly red. Cato looks up from where he just finished killing the boy from 7. He looks around as if to check for more tributes and then his eyes fall on me, struggling to get out of marvel's vice grip. He smirks and walks up to me, motioning for the other careers to come over.

"Hello, Shelby." He greets mockingly. "We never lose." I spit in his face and he wipes it off disgusted. "How ladylike."

"Did he go in?" Clove asks and I turn my head slightly to look at her. Her face and clothes are sprayed with blood but she smirks happily.

"Yeah, he fell for it." Marvel replies. The bloodbath canons sound and I count 9.

"You see 4." Cato starts. "We had a plan. We weren't going to let you go. And the gamemakers followed along quite nicely if you ask me. But we've got something to just make sure that you agree." He motions to Glimmer,, who retreats into the Cornacopia. My heart stops. She appears seconds later, dragging Pete by the hair.

"Shelby, help!" Pete screams as she chucks him to Cato. I pull against marvel but he pushes the blade into my throat, causing me to yelp in pain.

"Think of this as a taster session." Cato tells me, snickering as he dangles Pete above the ground. "A warning. I'll give you a quick demo." He slices his word deeply through Pete's cheek, so deep you can see the skull. Blood pours down his face and he screams. I double over, trying to reach him. The blade has been dropped and Marvel's arms are wrapped around my stomach to stop me escaping as I fail around. Cato laughs and stabs Pete in the shoulder. Tears streak down pete's face. His young face. How could they torture a 12 year old like this? Next he impales his stomach.

"STOP!" I yell, causing Cato to turn around in surprise. "Please. Just stop. Just kill him." I beg as I sink to the floor.

"Then if I do, you belong to us. A life for a life. You'll be mine." Cato conditioned and I nod, through the tears. He stabs Pete's throat and Pete's canon sounds. Cato drops his dead body to the floor and it lands with a thump. he's gone. The little boy from my district. the boy who reminds me so much of the twins. Who I taught to swim 6 years ago. Who worried about how bad he looked in the parade. Who couldn't master any skill in training. Who cried in his interview and barely got a mark for his score. Whose bottom lip seemed to constantly wobble. Who is now gone. forever. Dead.

I crawl over to his body, even though his canon has long since fired. I shut his pale blue eyes, that used to once be full of life. I stroke his head of curls. I run my hand over his cheek and I lose has taken away the last thing I had left of District 4. It's gone. he's gone. My body racks with sobs as I cry over his dead body. Pete's dead body.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Thank you guys for being awesome!**

 **WizardDemiGodGladerGatekeeper - (I wrote that from memory!) Thank you for your comment and I will try and make the story go slower (I hate it when their time in the arena goes so fast). Glad you're liking and keep the ideas going. I don't think Cato really know's how he feels. He's a boy! But we'll see.**

 **Ravynne Queene - I know! I'm sorry that I killed Pete (He is based on the District 4 male tribute in the movie who is 12, killed in the bloodbath and killed by Cato!). I know, poor Shelby. The odds do not seem to be in her favour!**

 **epictomguy - Ditto!**

I feel arms, more muscular than Marvel's so presumably Cato's, wrap around my waist. He pulls me off Pete and throws me limply over his shoulder. He carries me down to the lake, the rest of the Careers following in his wake. I watch, from the lake, where Glimmer had been standing, as Pete's body, along with the other bloodbath victims, are carried away, to be sent back to their districts in wooden coffins. Finally, I manage to control myself and feebly wipe away my tears. I feel a hand stroking my hair softly and look up to see Marvel, who smiles softly at me.

"Cato said he had to do it. To establish dominance." Marvel tells me. I nod and look away, to where the other careers are washing off the blood in then lake.

"In." Cato commands, looking at me, his hair gelled down by the water. I step into the water before I'm grabbed by Cato. He washes away Pete's blood from my face and body. Then we all walk back to the cornucopia. "Sit there." Cato tells me as I obediently sit on a box. The Careers sort through the supplies and arrange 4 packs, 1 for each of them. I zone out, only to focus when the male from District 3 and Peeta, the District 12 boy, walk in.

"We want to help you." The boy from 3 says. "I can protect your supplies, using the bombs." He says, pointing at one of the plates, in the ground.

"And I can help you find Katniss." Peeta says.

"You're in." Cato says. "Start now 3." 3 immediately gets to work. Cato tosses Peeta his pack and then packs another for himself, kitted out with enough for 2 people. Peeta sits down next to me.

"Didn't think you were going to be a career?" He muses.

"They kidnapped me." I mutter darkly.

"Are you OK?" he asks, putting a hand on my shoulder. I nod.

"They killed the boy from my district." I tell him.

"The 12 year old?" He asks again and I nod. "They tortured him?" I nod again.

"Lover boy!" Cato calls venomously. "Pitch up some tents." Peeta nods, shoots me a smile and then goes over, to start constructing the tents. Cato stalks over.

"What did he want?" He growls.

"Nothing." I murmur. He glares at me before going back to the Careers.

"We'll sleep now and then we'll go hunting tonight." He looks at me. "I don't want her anywhere near the supplies and I'll keep her supplies in my pack. If she wants something, one of us get's it." He announces. "She's not to be left unsupervised." I roll my eyes. In my current state of mind I wouldn't make it past the clearing without injuring myself. The others begin to help pitch tents, there are 3. Surprising that there weren't more. Cato walks over with a bit of rough rope.

"Double noose this." He orders, to which I comply, the rope burning my fingers, rubbing my skin. "Put your hands behind your back." He continues, having taken the rope from me. I comply again, raising an eyebrow. He walks behind me and I feel the rough rope tighten around my wrists, binding them together.

"What the hell?" I spit.

"Couldn't have you running off now." He smirks. Now that all the tents are up he thinks.

"Marvel, you're sharing with District 3 and Glimmer. Clove with Lover boy. Shelby, you're with me." Everyone retires to their tents, complaining. "Up." He tells me, following me into the tent that we're apparently sharing. I raise an eyebrow at the zipped up sleeping bags. He sighs before unzipping it for me. I climb in, with great difficulty, thanks for the wrist bounds Cato! I tuck my legs up and manage to bring my wrists forward so know they're bound at my front, which is a little more comfortable. Cato zips me in before getting in the one closet to the door. I lay on my back, thinking about how many lives have been lost. How they belong to children, my age, Star's age, some, like Pete, just a little older than the twins. All with their own families. 10 grieving families. 10 children's lives lost. Because of the people I am held captive by. Because of the Capitol and their games. I hate them all. They're heartless, unable to love.

"Sleep." I hear Cato order me. I roll onto my side away from him. He killed Pete. An innocent 12 year old from District 4. I hate him. "Sleep." He repeats.

"I can't force myself to sleep." I snap and hear him snarl.

"Well, try!" I scoff and lie awake. Eventually I drift off into sleep, but it is horrid, interrupted by nightmares of Pete's death, my families and my own. I wake up screaming.

"Shhh." I hear Cato comfort in a soothing voice. "It's alright, it as just a dream. You're alright. I got you." Although he doesn't climb in the sleeping bag with me he lies next to me and slings his arms round my sleeping bag- cocooned body that is shaking terribly. He pulls my face to his muscular chest and he strokes my hair. Since when was Cato the killer nice? Today has been a weird day. I don't even know why I'm still alive. Not me being suicidal but pointing out a fact I can't get over. Why my life has currently been spared. I feel tears dribbling down my cheeks and kick myself mentally. I am crying in front of a killer who singlehandedly killed Pete and almost strangled me yesterday. I am so dumb right now. He pulls away and wipes my face with his thumb.

"We're leaving soon. I'll leave you to sort yourself out." He smiles (!) at me and goes out of the tent. I wait until my heart rate has slowed along with my breathing before struggling out of the sleeping bag. Why? Why did he do that? Why hadn't he laughed, or rolled his eyes, left or mocked. Why did he comfort me? One things for sure. Unless there was an extremely brutal fight happening right then or something even more worthwhile than what was just happening that was just aired over all of Panem! Just Great! Especially when I'm supposed to be a killer. I manage to struggle out of the tent and see everyone else around a fire. With, of course, the exclusion of 3, who is working on the mines. I walk over to them and sit next to Peeta and Marvel. Peeta hands me an apple and a leg of gosling. I smile at him in thanks and eat as best as I can with bound hands.

"That looks like it hurts? Isn't there any softer rope?" Peeta asks, eyeing my sore, rope rubbed wrists. Cato shrugs before going back to his food, glaring at Peeta. the kind boy from moments earlier has disappeared. The killer has replaced him. It is sunset now, casting an eerie look on the blood-stained grass. The careers shrug on their packs, except from Peeta who is, like me, now forbidden to take a pack. Marvel takes his collection of spears, Clove her knives, Glimmer the bow and arrows, Peeta has a dagger, Cato 2 swords and me...with nothing.

"Marvel, you take the front, I'll bring up the rear. Marvel and Clove on Peeta and Glimmer and I on Shelby." We all get into our formation, Marvel and Cato wearing the only 2 pairs on night vision goggles. "Let's go kill some tributes!" Cato yells as we bound into the forest.


	10. Chapter 10

**_AN: An apology for the update time. I've been quite busy this week and I felt pants this morning. I've also got writers block._**

 _"Let's go kill some tributes!" Cato yells as we bound into the forest._

We enter the woods and the darkness seems to swallow us up.

"Look! It's a fire!" Glimmer squeals. We break into a run and Cato stops us just in time.

"Let's not chase 'em down." He says. "There my kill." Clove scowls as she turns around.

"You got 4." She says spitefully "And then you got a captive." I glare at her and hear Cato snarl.

"My kill." He says. He nods at Marvel and we continue through the woods, breaking formation slightly.

"What do we have here?" Cato says as we find the girl from 8 huddled round a fire. She begins to beg as Cato inches closer.

"Please. Please don't kill me. My brother, he's so ill, I have to get home!" Cato smirks at her and his blade finds it way into her chest. She screams and I wince. Another innocent life taken by my kidnapper.

"Come on, let's move out before the body starts to stink." Cato snickers as we're led through the woods.

"Shouldn't we have heard a canon by now?" Clove asks, innocently.

"Yeah, nothing to stop a canon sounding." Peeta agrees.

"Unless she isn't dead." Glimmer suggests. Oh lord. Here he goes...

"She's dead. I struck her myself!" Cato growls, his voice dangerously low.

"Then why hasn't the canon sounded?" Clove smirks.

"I SAID SHE'S DEAD!" Cato roars.

"I'll go finish her off. We don't want to hunt her down twice." Peeta volunteers as he walks back to where her bleeding body lays. Poor girl, I think but I know Peeta will end it quickly and painlessly for her.

"Well, was she dead?" Cato asks venomously.

"No, but she is now." Peeta says and on que her canon sounds. Whether it was due to the fire, the death, the argument or just the fact that it was the careers, everyone else has hidden themselves well or fled. We return to camp, exhausted at sunrise.

"Everyone, get some rest. We'll try again tonight." Marvel suggests. I stumble sleepily back to my tent and flop on the bag. I hear Cato chuckle and lift me up, before placing me inside and tucking me in. The long night has hopefully given him time to calm down.

"Get some sleep." Cato whispers to me, lightly kissing my forehead as I sink into oblivion.

When I wake Cato's sleeping-bag is right next to mine and his arm is around my waist, pulling me into his chest. He has a cute, sweet look when he's sleeping, funny seeing how wrong that is to the truth. He looks peaceful and ...attractive. Just looking at him right now has my stomach doing flips and his touch is like electricity. I try to move out from his vice like grip but it completely backfires as his face frowns and his grip tightens! I growl in frustration before letting my body relax, meaning that my head is resting on his highly muscular chest. I blush slightly and feel his breathing change.

"Good morning mermaid, looking pretty comfortable." He raises an eyebrow mockingly but I motion with bound hands to his arm, then raise an eyebrow back. His smirk falters slightly as he removes his arm quickly.

"I don't know how that happened." He insists ,to which I nod.

"Of _course_ you don't." I reply back, snide. He frowns but stands up, as if to leave.

"And Cato," I call out, making him look back. "It's afternoon." And I'm pretty sure the ends of his mouth move upwards there and something, happiness?, fills his eyes. And then it's gone and so is he. I sigh and wiggle out of the sleeping bag. My wrists are burning from where the rope has rubbed them so and I see that some of the rope is stained red by blood. MY blood! Is this how they plan to kill me. Slowly make me bleed to death?! I sigh again and join everyone at the fire. It's been around 8 hours so it's about noon. I sit next to Peeta who smiles at me.

"Good afternoon, Shelby." He smiles.

"Afternoon Peeta." I reply, smiling back. His smile disappears when he sees my wrists.

"Are you Ok?" He asks, sounding panicked. Is it that bad. "This needs to come off. The wound risks infection." He insists but I shrug.

"I'm not allowed to take it off." I tell him and I see Cato zone into our conversation. His eyes narrow at the sight of me and Peeta next to each other.

"What's not allowed to come off?" He asks, once again the career pack leader. I lift my wrists up to indicate my bounds.

"No, there not." Cato agrees, smirking.

"There stained with blood. She could get an infection." Peeta timidly informs Cato. Cato's eyes widen and he is instantly beside me. He carefully removes the rope and gasps in horror. On each wrist is a bloody circle, flesh, blood and dirt all over the wound.

"Get me some water and a medic kit." Cato tells Glimmer, his voice rising. She runs off and appears a few minutes later. He starts pouring water on and I yell out. The pain. It's excruciating.

"Let me. My mother was the doctor back in 1. I've handled stuff like this since I was in diapers." Marvel boasts. He disinfects, cleans and bandages up my wrists.

"Thank you." I thank him, timidly. He beams at me.

"No trouble at all." He tells me "I need to put some clean bandages on after we go hunting and then maybe a fresh layer in the mourning." I nod and Cato coughs, indicating Marvel to return to his seat. He sounded pissed. His eyes are trained on me.

"Are you alright?" He growls and I look at him in surprise and confusion. What have I done?!

"I'm fine." I mutter and he nods. The careers get to work on sorting out packs for hunting while me and Peeta cook some tea for before we go hunting. 3 has nearly finished on the mines but he says it will take him around 2-3 more days and you still might want to have someone on guard. He means him. He's trying to last a little longer. He's smart, I'll give him that. Soon we've all eaten and we take the formation. We walk into the woods and I keep feeling Cato prod his sword lightly on my back, as if to remind me that he's there, that there's no escape.

"What's your problem?" I hiss to him and I see him frown.

"Nothing. Be quiet." He whispers back and turns away, dismissing conversation. I growl and look forward. It takes about 2 hours before we find the boy from 10, the one with the crippled foot, at a spring. Just the sight of water makes me feel giddy. How I long to swim. Clove grabs him from behind as he drinks and holds a knife to his back.

"I am going to have so much fun with you." Clove smirks.

"No." Cato roughly commands. "He's Shelby's kill."


	11. Chapter 11

_"No." Cato roughly commands "He's Shelby's kill."_

Everyone turns to face me. My mouth drops open. He wants me to kill him? Clove glares at me, Cato looks at me with authority, Peeta and Marvel with concern and Glimmer,... Why the hell is she brushing her hair?!

"No." I tell him. Cato's look on me becomes harder.

"I'm pretty sure that when I killed Pete you agreed to be mine. So you do as I say. You need to prove your worth. Kill him or I'll kill you." I cross my arms.

"Go on then." I dare him "Kill me." He's practically roaring.

"You kill him, now! Or I kill lover boy." I gasp. Why's he getting Peeta involved? Peeta's eyes are wide, his mouth open. I can't let him kill him. Peeta is as close to a friend that I have got. I swallow.

"Give me a sword." Cato raises an eyebrow but places a sword in my hands.

"Remember that you're outnumbered and we're all armed as well, so don't get any ideas." I nod slightly. I gaze into the boys petrified eyes. Eyes that are begging. I look at him and send him a look. A look that says I'm sorry I can't save you. I'm sorry you have to die. My blade, shaking slightly, pierces through his neck, his canon sounding immediately. His blood sprays onto my hands and I drop the sword. I killed someone. I killed someone! I child! My hands begin to shake and I struggle to breathe.

"What's happening?" Cato calls out, sounding distant.

"I...I think she's gone into a state of shock." Marvel, I think. I feel someone take my hands, in theirs. I'm pretty sure it's Marvel, but it's hard to tell.

"Shelby, you need to breath, alright. In and out, in and out." I try to follow his instructions, each breath shaky.

"I think we should get her back to camp." Peeta says.

"Yeah, we should." Marvel, again.

"What about hunting?" Glimmer whines.

"Oh shut up Glimmer." Cato roars.

"This is your fault Cato." Marvel tells him sternly "Tributes from district 4 are trained to survive and protect themselves, not to kill, like us. She's different. She wasn't ready." I feel arms scoop me up. "I'll carry her back to camp. Cato, we're use your tent for her. No one goes in unless I say you can. She needs space and help and I know what I'm doing, I don't want you all in the way." I hear Cato mutter something and then we're moving.

"It looks like we have another crazy girl from district 4." I hear Clove chuckle as I faint.

When I wake up, I'm in my sleeping bag and Marvel is sat next to me. I groan and he smiles. I try to remember what happened and then when I do, I wish I hadn't.

"I killed someone." I mutter, my hands beginning to shake.

"Shh. It's alright Shelby. You helped him. Think of what would've happened if you refused. Cato and Clove love to play with their kills. And Glimmers so useless it would take her 2 hours to scratch him!" I giggle slightly.

"What about you? What would you've done?" I ask him. He sighs.

"I don't know." I lean back into the bag, biting my lip nervously. What do people think of me now. I'm murderous? That I ended a life to save my own? Right now there is a family that are grieving for the loss of there son, there brother perhaps and there friend. Because I killed him.

"Hey, Shelby. Everything will be alright." I shake my head and he holds my hand. My eyes fill with tears that soon begin to fall. "Hey. Don't cry." Marvel soothes, holding me to his chest where I begin to sob. "You're OK, Shelby, everything will be OK. No one hates you." I lean into his chest.

"What's going on here?" Cato commands, from no where. I pull away and wipe my eyes. I see Cato standing at the doorway, angrily. His face softens slightly when he sees me.

"What did you do to her?" Cato roars at Marvel.

"Nothing. I wouldn't hurt her. She was upset." So now I'm she. Cato turns to face me. He walks in and kneels beside my shuddering body. He gently wipes away some tears.

"I'm sorry." He whispers softly and I look at him. He actually apologised!

"You should go." Marvel says, sounding annoyed "She needs rest." Cato growls but stands up and leaves. I lie back down, Marvel beside me, tucking me in like a baby.

"Am I going mad?" I ask him, remembering Clove's comment.

"No." He tells me reassuringly. "You're going to be alright. I'll look after you." I close my eyes and allow sleep to overcome me.

 **AN: Sorry it's so short but I thought having her wake up again would be a bit boring. I'll try and update soon.**


	12. Chapter 12

When I wake Marvel is next to me.

"Morning Sleeping Beauty." He smiles and I smile back. Marvel has been so kind to me, to which I am grateful for. He's like my big brother in a way.

"I've got you some food. Your mentor sent it." I smile slightly, even more. Thank you Finnick. Marvel feeds me some soup, what Finnick sent me.

"We're going hunting later so it should help keep your strength up. I said that I'd stay behind and look after you but Cato says you have to come." I sigh and my thoughts start to wonder to the boy. His pleading look, how his warm blood felt on my skin, how his lifeless body had fallen to the ground. I must've started shaking because Marvel is instantly beside me.

"Hey. It's OK. Why don't you talk to me? What's this?" He asks, pointing to the chain of my locket. I take the locket off and show him.

"It's my token. It belonged to my father before he...he died." I whisper the last part and Marvel takes one of my cold, shaking hands in one of his large, warm hands.

"It's beautiful. What's inside?" I cock my head at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well, it's a locket isn't it. lockets usually have pictures or something inside." I look closer at the locket and see a thin cut in the silver. I prise it open with my fingernail and gasp. The locket has two pictures. The first one is a family photo, taken the day before my father left for the sea. Father stands, very much alive, with Star clinging to his back and one of the twins under each arm. Mother stands, very much happy and heavily pregnant, holding baby Dolphin and Shark's hand. I stand in the middle, leaning on my fathers side, smiling. It's what I'm doing now. A large smile has spread across my face. the other picture is a picture of the little cove we used to play in back home. It shows the cave, the sand and the lapping tide. I sigh, almost feeling the waves lapping at my feet, the coolness of the water, the warmth of the sun.

"It's beautiful. Is that your family?" Marvel asks softly, as I smile even more and show him who they all are, what they're like. He smiles when I'm finished.

"They're beautiful, just like you." I laugh softly and feel heat in my cheeks. "We should probably go now." He tells me, offering me a hand as I stand. We go to the campfire and I'm surprised that it is sunrise. I have the rest of the soup and we kit up for the night.

"Hey Shelby." Peeta says, bounding over "I'm glad you're OK. Marvel wouldn't let anyone see you, said you needed rest." I smile at him and then we are forced into our order.

We walk through the woods as the morning light grows brighter. Suddenly Glimmer shrieks and I see why. A forest fire is progressing our way. I feel Cato take my hand roughly as he motions us all to follow him. We turn round to flee and find that the area we just pass4ed through is also ablaze. There is only one route, to the left, so we take off that way. Next is Marvel who yells as fireballs appear from the wall of fire, hitting spaces where we had been just moments before. Finally we make our way to a pond.

"There she is! It's girl on fire!" Glimmer shouts as Cato drags me to where Katniss is sitting in the water. The careers whoop and yell as we follow her through the trees to where Katniss is already half way up a tree. Cato drops my hand and starts climbing up the tree, after Katniss. The other careers cheer him on, while Peeta looks like his heart has broken. I know what he was doing. He was leading us away from her. He was trying to protect her, the one he loves. And it backfired. She will die at the hands of the careers pack leader and he will be next. But then fate decides that he likes Katniss because he branch Cato was holding snapped and sent him plummeting to the ground. He grunts as his back thumps onto the ground, hard. Glimmer tries to shoot at Katniss with her bow, the arrow missing Katniss by about a meter. And it's her best weapon. I see Katniss' eyes trained on the bow hungrily. So that's how she got that 11. Cato tries, missing Katniss by a few inches.

"Just wait her out." Peeta suggests "She's got to come down sometime. Just kill her then." It's a good idea, but it only buys her time.

"Alright." Cato agrees "Somebody build a fire." Glimmer practically throws herself into the bushes to try and find materials to make a fire. I grab a rock, some twigs and leaves, etc and have a fire going by the time Glimmer returns a few minutes later, looking comical with twigs and leaves stuck in her hair. She growls and settles down. The careers start going through there packs, setting out sleeping bags and rationing out food. But we're a sleeping bag short.

"Who's going to keep watch?" Cato asks, obviously wanting to sleep.

"I will Cato!" Glimmer chirps, batting her eyelashes and smiling. She is so obvious. She sets up her sleeping bag against the tree and smiles at Cato, winkinhg at him flirtatiously. Marvel sets his bag up at the side, near peeta. Clove sets hers up on the other side. Cato sets his up in the middle. I look around anxiously.

"Where's Shelby going to sleep?" Marvel asks Cato.

"She can have my bag." Cato says. I just love how they talk about me like I'm not here. Not.

"But then you'll be cold Cato! You can have mine! Or you can share with me." Glimmer offers. Cato seems to have a lightbulb moment.

"Shelby can share with me." Everyone looks at Cato, then at me then at Cato again.

"What?" He growls "Anyone got any other ideas." People probably do but no one goes against Cato. His word is like law.

"In." He tells me, motioning to the sleeping bag he is laying in. I feel my cheeks flush as I walk forward. He opens the bag and his eyes narrow at me. I climb in and his arm goes over my chest to shut the bag. I'm blushing furiously by this point. He looks at me and bursts out laughing.

"What?" I whine "What's so funny?" He manages to stop laughing just enough to reply.

"You have gone so red." He bursts out laughing and I huff, rolling onto my side so I'm facing away from him. I can feel and see Glimmer's gaze on us. She notice's me looking and glares at me, which I happily return. Why is she such a bitch? Cato manages to calm himself down and I feel him move, his muscular stomach against my back, his hot breath on my ear, his head resting in the crook of my neck, his arm slings itself casually over my waist and I feel him drift off to sleep. Small cute snores come out of his mouth and he looks like the kind boy who I thought only lived in the tent back at camp. He nuzzles into me in his sleep and I blush and turn around. His other arm manages to come other, so he's more like hugging me, pulling me to his chest. I blush furiously but I can't help but feel safe. Happy. I snuggle down sleepily and feel sleep over take me.


	13. Chapter 13

Pain. It hurts so bad. I scream. I feel arms pick me up and whoever carries me is running. Tears stream down my face. Is this my punishment for killing the boy. For choosing Peeta's and my own life over his? It hurts, oh boy, it hurts. I yell out in pain again and feel my vision blurred by clours. I think I feel movement on my body but I feel so numb that it's hard to tell. The last thing I feel before blacking out is the coolness of water on my skin.

I wake, my head feeling heavy. I let out a groan and sit up. My clothes are drenched and I am lying on the grass by the lake. Cato, Marvel and Clove are sitting, half awake by me.

"What happened?" I groan acusing the other to whip around to face me. I see the lumps now. Plum sized, leaking green pus. I notice some on me as well.

"Tracker Jackers." Marvel replies.

"Arent't there leaves for these. An antidote.

"Marvel the healer doesn't know what they look like." Clove hisses at Marvel.

"MY mother never let me work with tracker jacker cases!" He defends.

"How long was I out?" I ask.

"2 days." Cato says. "We all got it worse but we had our systems developed in training to deal with poisons better. Our systems are more immune." I nod. It makes sense that the proper career districts would have stuff like that in there training.

"You had 3 stings but we took out the stinger-thingies." Clove tells me, yawning as if she has better things to do with her life than heal.

"Where's Glimmer and Peeta?" I ask.

"Glimmer died from her stings. Peeta will die soon from blood loss. I'd say he had a couple of days at most. I know where I cut him." Cato growls.

"What?!" I shriek. Why on earth would they torture innocent, kind Peeta like that.

"He was a traitor!" Cato yells.

"He was in love!" I shout back "It was obvious that he was trying to save her the whole time! You didn't actually think that he would value his life over hers, did you?" He scoffs in reply and I stand up and begin walking into the woods.

"Where are you going?" Someone calls out.

"To look for the leaves." Is my reply. I walk faster and if they come looking for me, they don't find me. I find a nice clump of the leaves and pick them, before walking back to camp. I hand them out silently and everyone copies as I chew the leaves and then place them on my stings.

I sit in silence, not looking at anyone and just twirling some grass in my fingers. I hear movement and look up to see Marvel walking over.

"Hey." He says. I smile slightly in response and he sits down next to me. "Just ignore Cato, he can't help being an oblivious ass, it just comes naturally to him." I smile more at that and Marvel chuckles. "Now there's that smile!" And just him saying that causes me to smile more until I can't help myself and I burst out laughing. Cato raises an eyebrow haughtily and Clove shakes her head and mutters something about weirdo's. "That's even better." Marvel chuckles at me laughing.

"Hey, 3, when will you be finished?" Cato interrupts, shouting at the young teen, working on the bombs.

"Soon." He calls out anxiously. I bite my lip. The boy's days are limited and he knows it. he'll try and escape soon. And that will not end pretty. I sit there, covered in mushy, green leaves and stare at the water. I should take a leaf out of the boy's book. Try and escape. But I wouldn't last long with my stings, without supplies and little knowledge of the arena. At least Peeta got to escape. I sigh. How I wish I could just jump into the lake and swim back to district 4. But I'm going to stick it out and go home a victor, for my family, for Finnick and for my district.

"We should probably rest up." Marvel tells us all. I hear movement behind me but I stick my ground. I continue to stare at the glistening water and feel a sad sigh escape from my lips.

"4." I hear Cato say ; I ignore him. "4." Cato growls, getting irritated. Probably not a good thing to do but still, I don't move. I hear footsteps come up behind me and I know he's there. "Shelby, go to the tent." He hisses. I don't move.

"I'm not moving." I hiss.

"Fine." Cato says and I hope that he'll leave. After a brief pause he speaks again. "I guess I'm just going to have to make you." I feel his arms wrap around my body and he throws me carelessly over his shoulder.

"Put me down Cato!" I holler, pounding uselessly on his back. He chuckles and I growl. He is so irritating! He throws me down on my sleeping bag and I climb in and turn away from him. To my surprise I feel a warm body climb in beside me.

"What are you doing Cato?!" I hiss and he laughs again!

"I felt cold and I decided to try your sleeping bag instead." I roll my eyes and huff.

"Go away." I order, though it comes out more as a whine. Yet again he chuckles.

"Or it might've been because your funny when you blush." I shudder as I feel his breath on my ear. "Why don't we see how red you can go." I feel him smirk into my neck as his lips press against it. What in Panem is this boy doing? On live TV! This will probably be playing on every screen in Panem! I try to hold back the blush but feel my cheeks tint pink. He casually slings an arm around my waist and pulls me into his highly chiselled chest. I feel my cheeks heat up more, despite my effots to stop them, knowing that this is what he wants. I try to pull myself out of his grip but he tightens it and turns me around to face him. It's quite funny because although I didn't, he had a sting on his face so it looks weird, him looking at me with slush on him. But whatever.

"Don't try to fight it." He whispers huskily, causing me to shiver again. "You know you want it."

"I thought I told you I didn't." I reply, my voice sounding foreign.

"Maybe I'd believe that if you hadn't come so undone." He whispers back and holds me to his chest, that smells of sweat and the leaves for the stings. His grip is inescapable and I feel him fall asleep. I sigh, my cheeks burning and eventually relax, falling asleep to the sound of his heart and the movement of his every breath.


	14. Chapter 14

When I wake up, letting out a small yawn, Cato is untangling us and getting up. I feel myself blush as I remember what happened.

"Morning, mermaid." Cato smirks.

"Morning." I reply, getting out and following him out the tent. Well, I went first and he followed me, but whatever. We walk over to the fire where everyone sits eating. Cato motions to Glimmer and Marvel.

"Today," He points at 3. "We kill him." They nod and I gulp, he's outlived his purpose.

"Look! It's a fire!" Marvel squeals, reminding me of Finnick. I sigh as Cato pushes me up and we run in the direction of the smoke. Whoever it is ,is really stupid. That stuff burns like hell! Or, they could be really smart. Diversion, I like it. We get to the first fire and there's nothing there. We spot another fire and Cato growls.

"It's a diversion! Marvel, follow it, Clove, Shelby, come with me." I shake my head.

"I want to go with Marvel." I tell him and he growls.

"You're coming with me." He tells me and I yet again refuse.

"You've got Clove. Or does the big bad Cato want me to hold his hand?" I tease and he sure is seething now.

"Fine." He hisses, turning on his heel and stalking off. I giggle at his childish attitude and me and Marvel walk through the woods some more.

"Katniss! Katniss help!" We hear and before I can recall what we're doing we're running towards the screaming. Not your smartest move, Shelby. We appear as Katniss is untangling the small 12 year old from 11 out from ropes. I look at Marvel and realise what he's doing moments too late.

"Marvel, no!" I holler as the spear curves through the air, missing it's target, Katniss and hitting the little girl in the stomach. Katniss fires Glimmers bow and arrows (Where'd she get those from?) and it hits Marvel in his stomach. "Marvel!" I yelll. Katniss and mine eyes meet.

"I won't kill you if you won't kill me." She reasons. "Rue...she needs me while she...and he...,he needs you." I nod and we turn to our allies.

"Shells." Marvel groans. He falls to the floor and I instantly crouch beside him.

"You're going to be alright, Marvel, you're going to be fine." I tell him, tears filling my eyes. "Don't you dare die on me Marvel. Don't you dare leave me alone." I beg. He shakes his head.

"I-I-I'm..S-S-Sorr-y." He stutters, squeezing my hand. Tears leak from my eyes.

"Finnick!" I yell. "Finnick! Please do something!" I can't help myself. Marvel, he can't die. He's become so much like my brother. He cared for me when I was sick and was my friend when I needed one most.

"S-Shells...I-I...L-lo-love...y-y-yo-you." My eyes widen as he starts to cough up blood.

"No! Marvel, please!" I beg, sobbing. He loves me. I don't love him how he wants. I don't love a dying man. A dying man. I hear his canon sound and cling to his body, sobbing uncontrollably. I sneak a look over at Katniss who has just finished singing to the little girl. Her canon sounds next. She stands up and lays down some flowers around her body. She walks over and passes me a small bouquet.

"I'm sorry. He killed Rue, I couldn't let him live." I nod.

"Now we're equal. Not debts owed." I say as I take the flowers and place them in Marvel's hand.

"Shelby!" I hear someone yell and Katniss runs off. I position Marvels body into a sleeping pose and close his eyes before I start sobbing again. "Shel-" The voice cuts off.

"Oh my gosh!" Clove whispers and I hear footsteps come up behind me.

"Shelby, we need to go." That's Cato. He says it softly, taking my hand. I shake my head violently. "He's gone. Now he gets to go home." He tells me and I feel more tears trickle down my face. Cato pulls me to his chest as I burst into tears again. "Hey, we've got to go now. Ok? Let's get you back to camp." He picks me up, bridal style and we continue to travel back to the cornucopia. The grass is stewn with debris.

"What happened?" I mumble and Cato sighs.

"Fire girl blew it all up somehow using 3's mines." He says.

"She killed Marvel. Because he killed the little girl." I tell him. I pause and look around, seeing no other form of life other than us. "You killed 3, didn't you. Because of the mines." He nods, regrettably.

"I was angry. And it had to be done if we're going home." I can't tell at that moment, whether we're means him, us or me, but right then it didn't matter. I snuggled into Cato's chest and closed my eyes, giving into the reply of the arrow piercing Marvel's skin and every moment after.

"He said he loved me." I mutter and Cato looks down at me, frowning.

"Who?" He growls. I feel myself tense slightly at his tone of voice and his face softens. "Who?"

"Marvel. When he was...he was." I trail off, biting my lip. I can't bring myself to say the word.

"And do you love him back?" He asks, interested. I shake my head.

"Not in the way he wanted." I explain and he nods.

"Everything got blown up. The tents and supplies and that, I mean. So we're going to be sharing a sleeping bag again, thought I'd let you know." I look at him disappointedly.

"Seriously. You're telling me that now, why exactly?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"Thought I'd give you a forward warning." He smirks and I roll my eyes and get up from his lap, sitting down beside him instead.

"You know you could just kill me. It'd be a lot easier for you." I tell him and his expression visibly hardens.

"I'm not going to kill you, Shelby." He snarls and I look around at him, in surprise.

"Why?" I ask, almost not wanting to know.

"Because-Because Marvel isn't the only one who loves you."

It takes me a few moments to figure out what he means.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: OMG! Amazing plot twist! And over 4,500 words! I have literally been working for like, 4 hours straight to write this so please make my time worthwhile. Shoutout to Ravynne Queene for the ship name. I want as many people as possible to review in the comments with #Calby. Because this chapter has basically all the Calby moments in this damn book and why the hell not? I want at least 10 #Calby's before I update!**

 _"Because-Because Marvel isn't the only one who loves you."_

 _It takes me a few moments to figure out what he means._

"W-what?" I stutter, my eyes going wide.

"You heard what I said." Cato growls, looking away, his cheeks tinting pink. I feel my own cheeks flush. He couldn't mean that he...There's no way is there?

 _Chapter 2 - The girl and boy from district 2 are both volunteers as well. The girl, Clove, looks sly, small and evil. She seems untrustable and a killer, despite her size, I know that she's a threat. A monstrous boy, Cato, lunges forward to volunteer. He has a stocky build, alpha male air, he screamed career captain, as I'm sure he'll be._

 _"He's the one to impress, Shells." Finnick says, the look on his face meaning that the cogs in his head are turning. Oh boy._

 _Chapter 3 - I feel a gaze on me. I turn around and see the district 2 tributes. The girl glaring at me as if I am her prey, which I suppose I am and the boy looking hungrily at my body, a smirk plastered across his face. I shudder and turn around. I see Clove walk past me, not before sending me another glare. I wonder momentarily where Cato is, the bulky, career pack leader. I shake off the thought and try to focus on what's Livaus is telling me, though it goes through one ear and out the other. I notice how the district 2 tributes were dressed in golden armour. Probably for their personalities than districts. I'm sure it's supposed to be linked to warriors and victors instead of rocks. Suddenly I'm pulled out of my trance by the sound of breathing and hot breath against my neck. I jump slightly in surprise and turn around to see Cato. The odds are so totally in my favour right now, not._

 _"Hi." He smirks, his eyes, icy blue, not focused on my face but what's underneath the bodice of my gorgeous dress._

 _"Hello." I reply, sounding small, weak, crossing my arms deliberately where his gaze was. He frowns slightly, moving his gaze up to my face and looking into my eyes, cocking his head slightly, causing me to feel uncomfortable. "Did you w-want some-something?" I slightly stutter, inwardly kicking myself. I'm so dead right now._

 _"No." He replies, not moving._

 _"Are you going to go?" I say, this time sounding irritated instead of weak. He smirks._

 _"Thought I'd let you know that I want you in the careers." I raise an eyebrow. Don't seem eager. "Not for a proper ally, you look like you couldn't hurt a fly, but for sponsors and...entertainment." My mouth literally drops open._

 _"No." I growl, infuriated that he's offering me a slightly longer life for the use of my body and self-earned sponsors._

 _"No?" He asks in disbelief before shrugging. "You'll come around. They always do. I'm on the 2nd floor, the first room to the right when the corridors fork. You'll come by, I promise you that. You'd enjoy it. They always do." He laughs slightly and walks over to his chariot chuckling. I glare at his back and snarl. I will not come round. I will win this thing without the careers._

 _Chapter 3- I see the girl, Katniss, turn around and follow her gaze to...Cato. Of course. He's glaring at her and district 12's mentor leads them away. I smirk at his cowardice before noticing Cato's glare on me. Of course. Me and 12 stole the limelight...and the sponsors. Cato's practically doomed. My smirk grows at his fury before telling Livaus that I'll meet up with him at the apartment. I stand, waiting for Finnick, deciding that's it's better to tell him about my fight with Cato outside of the apartments, away from anything breakable. I stand, skirts on one arm, my free hand on my hip. My strappy, silver heels are starting to make my feet ache._

 _"Hurry up Finnick." I mutter._

 _"You know, they say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness." I hear. I spin around, my heel catching on a stray part of my skirt, causing me to fall. I let out a small shriek and feel a muscular arm wrap around my back, keeping me up. Cato looks down on me, snickering._

 _"Already falling for me, mermaid?" He smirks and I growl._

 _"You wish, 2." I reply._

 _"You know, my offer is still valid. If we go now we should have enough time." I roll my eyes._

 _"In your dreams."_

 _"Maybe." My eyes widen. Did he basically just say that he thinks about me naked? My cheeks flush and he chuckles, it vibrating through his chest that my shoulder is pressed into. I fold my arms, realising that he hasn't put me down and that I'm pressed right into him._

 _"You can put me down now, Cato." I tell him, raising an eyebrow as he sets my feet on the ground and helps me catch my balance._

 _"I thought you were enjoying the view." He observes._

 _"You wish." I shoot back. He shrugs and I nearly puke._

 _"You know, 4, I don't know how to make this any clearer. We. Are. In. The. Hunger. Games. Without. The. Careers. You. Are. As. Good. As. Dead." I glare at him._

 _"I can fight." I tell him._

 _"And I play the flute." He replies sarcastically._

 _"I can." I huff indignantly._

 _"Oh yeah?" Cato scoffs. "Prove it."_

 _"How?" I ask, dumbfounded._

 _"hurt me, if you have the guts." He whispers huskily into my ear, causing me to shiver and him smirk. I see Finnick and smile at him, as he walks towards us. I knee Cato in the groin, hard. He kneels over in pain and I laugh._

 _"I'm not just a pretty face." I laugh as I walk over to Finnick, my skirts slicking him in the face._

 _Chapter 4- "Yes!" Finnick squeals "You. Are. A. Genius! I don't know how but Cato likes you! We can use this!" I roll my eyes as we walk into the elevator. The doors are just closing when we hear someone yell._

 _"Hold it!" Finnick grabs the door and Brutus comes in joined by...Cato. He glares at me before walking in. I roll my eyes and Finnick smirks._

 _The elevator jerks into life, much to my horror, causing a yelp to erupt from my mouth. Cato smirks and Finnick rolls his eyes. I hate things that jerk around, something surprising for my district is that I actually get sea sick and travel sick. I breath slowly, trying not to panic but imagining how embarrassing it would be if I threw up right now. The doors open and Cato and Brutus leave. When the doors close Finnick smirks at me._

 _"He was totally just ogling at your butt!" I blush and stroll out, off onto our floor._

 _Chapter 4- "You look great Shells!" He explains, causing me to blush._

 _"Isn't it a little ...revealing?" I blush. He laughs and shakes his head._

 _"We want Cato on our side. He may come from 2 but he's still a hormonal teen."_

 _Chapter 4- I stand by myself boldly, ignoring the gaping tributes. I look around at my competition again. The careers are standing together, whispering and looking at me._

 _Chapter 4- Next is lunch. I'm sitting down on my own when the careers join me. Cato looks at me stonily._

 _"We want you in the careers." He says._

 _"I told you. I'm not going to be your fuck toy Cato." I growl and his eyes harden._

 _"This isn't about Cato. We want you in. We were wrong about you. You look like a strong fighter." Clove snarls._

 _"i don't want to be in the careers." I tell them._

 _"Then you're suicidal. 11 won't be a career either and barely anyone can take him on. And it would be a shame if you died in the bloodbath." Cato tells me mockingly. I sjake my head._

 _!I don't want to be in the careers." I repeat and Glimmer sighs._

 _"Just leave her, she won't join, Cato." She says and something clicks in his mind._

 _"Fine." He says, shooting me a look. A look that yells 'I always get my way.' I know that this won't be my only run in with the careers. They'll be back._

 _Chapter 5- I hear clapping and turn around to see none other than Cato. I raise an eyebrow and he snickers._

 _"What do you want?" I growl, irritated by his presence. Does he have to ruin everything?_

 _"i just came down for some practice. Seriously though, your good." I roll my eyes._

 _"I live in 4, of course I'm good." Is my snide reply._

 _"Maybe I'll come down earlier more often, seeing semi-naked girls is defiantly an encouragement." I blush as he laughs and walks over to the swords._

 _Chapter 6- And that leaves Cato. Cato. The brutal, monstrous career pack leader. The killer. The boy from 2. The boy who wears a teal suit and an awed expression. I've never seen him so unravelled. His eyes wonder up and down my body, causing me to blush. I stand in my place and avoid his gaze; him not so much. His eyes never leave my body, focusing on pretty awkward places._

 _"You look pretty." Pete tells me and I smile at him. I bend down to his height and ruffle his head of curls._

 _"thank you. You look great as well. Go show the Capitol what you're made of, OK?" I tell him and he nods eagerly. I chuckle. "That's me boy!" We high five before I stand up again to see Cato looking at me strangely. "What?" I ask roughly. He shrugs but his eyes still don't leave mine, or my body when I look away. What is up with that guy? Soon Glimmer is called and the interviews take off. As expected Glimmer is over the top flirty, Marvel is funny, Clove is sadist and then there's Cato._

 _Chapter 5- "But is there a special lady, is what I think everyone wants to know." Caesar asks, truly intrigued. Cato stops, thinking for a moment._

 _"I'm, I'm working on it." He nods._

 _Chapter 6- "What's wrong Shells?" Finnick asks, concerned._

 _"12 completely stole the show!" I growl._

 _"Relax, kiddo. I already secured loads of sponsors. And did you hear Cato? He was talking about you!"_

 _"No, he was talking about Glimmer or Clove or someone. He was not talking about me. All he thinks is that I'd be a good fuck!" I snarl in reply._

 _"No, Shells, he was talking about you. When you were having your interview his eyes were trained on you. And then he left the second the buzzer sounded. He can't keep his eyes off you. He really likes you." He soothes._

 _"Oh shut up Finnick!" I yell and storm out, without my shoes on. I don't know where I am going until I'm on the roof. I walk over to where I know the forcefield is and lean on the railings, feeling so close to an edge I would never reach._

 _"Well, hello, mermaid." I hear and spin around , to face Cato._

 _"Are you stalking me now, 2?" I ask, raising an eyebrow._

 _"Hmph, as if. I spend my time with people who are worth it." I frown at this._

 _"And I aren't?" I ask in reply._

 _"No." There's a silence in which I glare at him and he smirks. He is so irritating. "I know I'm the tribute." He says bluntly._

 _"the what?" I ask, generally confused._

 _"The boy you like. Who you spoke about in your interview." He is such a consisted ass._

 _"And why do you think it's you?" I ask. How cocky can you get?_

 _"Who else would it be? " He asks, as if surprised that I seem to think that there is more than one answer._

 _"Well, Marvel's really good with a spear-"I start._

 _"So am I!" Cato insists._

 _"And then there's Thresh. Maybe I like the brooding and silent guys." I continue, ignoring him. "Peeta is just so cute and kind!" I sigh and this sets Cato over the edge._

 _"I'm the tribute." He says, his voice rising, as he takes a step forward. I instinctively take a step back and my back hits the railings, hard._

 _"I'm the tribute! Aren't I?" Cato says, his voice much colder and stronger. he takes another step forward and I look at him. His eyes are dark and angry, it honestly scares me._

 _"How do you know?" I mutter. "There's 11 other guys it could be."_

 _"I AM THE TRIBUTE!" He roars, coming closer and pressing my back against the railings and forcefield. he presses his arm against my neck and I struggle to breath. I pant slightly and he glares at me. "I AM THE TRIBUTE!" he yells in my face and I can feel his hot breath on my face._

 _"Calm down." I try to soothe but like with me it backfires._

 _"SHUT UP!" He roars. "I AM THE TRIBUTE!" I ignore him and try to breath though his arm is pressing into my throat even harder._

 _"Stop." I call out, but he seems to angered to listen to my pleads._

 _"TELL ME THAT I AM THE TRIBUTE!" I close my eyes and try to breath as my vision starts to blur and I see black spots._

 _"Shells, where are-" I hear Finnick calling, abruptly to stop when he sees me. "What's going on?" He asks, confused that his 'masterplan' has seemingly failed him._

 _"Maybe I'd answer that if I could breath." I call out hoarsely, feeling the arm release me and I crumple to the ground, panting._

 _Chapter 8- 40 seconds. I look to my left. I'm stood next to the girl from 9 and next to her is Cato. He's glaring at me, his position fixed to run to me. I can't go left. 30 seconds._

 _10 seconds. I look around and catch Cato's eye. He points to himself, vaguely over to where Glimmer must stand, to Clove and then to marvel. He smirks then points at me. They want to catch me and kill me for rejecting and outdoing them over and over. I position myself to rn to the bloodbath._

 _Cato looks up from where he just finished killing the boy from 7. He looks around as if to check for more tributes and then his eyes fall on me, struggling to get out of Marvel's vice grip. He smirks and walks up to me, motioning for the other careers to come over._

 _"Hello, Shelby." He greets mockingly. "We never lose." I spit in his face and he wipes it off, disgusted. "How ladylike."_

 _"STOP!" I yell, causing Cato to turn around in surprise. "Please. Just stop. Just kill him." I beg as I sink to the floor._

 _"Then if I do, you belong to us. A life for a life. You'll be mine." Cato conditioned and I nod, through my tears._

 _Chapter 9- I feel arms, more muscular than Marvel's so presumably Cato's, wrap around my waist. He pulls me off Pete and throws me limply over his shoulder._

 _"Cato said he had to do it. To establish dominance." Marvel tells me. I nod and loo away, to where the other careers are washing off the blood in the lake._

 _"In." Cato commands, looking at me, his hair gelled down by water. I step into the water before I'm grabbed by Cato. He washes away Pete's blood from my face and body. then we all walk back to the cornucopia. "Sit there." Cato tells me as I obediently sit on the box._

 _"Didn't think you were going to be a career." he muses._

 _"They kidnapped me." I mutter darkly._

 _"Are you Ok?" He asks, putting a hand on my shoulder. I nod._

 _"they killed the boy from my district." I tell him._

 _"The 12 year old?" He asks again and I nod. "They tortured him?" I nod again._

 _"Lover boy!" Cato calls venomously. "Pitch up some tents." Peeta nods, shoots me a smile and then goes over to start constructing the tents. Cato stalks over._

 _"What did he want?" He growls._

 _"Nothing I murmur. He glares at me before going back to the careers._

 _Cato walks over with a bit of rough rope._

 _"Double noose this." he orders, to which I comply, the rope burning my fingers, rubbing my skin. "Put your hands behind your back." He continues, having taken the rope from me. I comply again, raising an eyebrow. He walks behind me and I feel the rough rope tighten around my wrists, binding them together._

 _"What the hell?" I spit._

 _"Couldn't have you running off now." He smirks. Now that all the tents are up, he thinks. " Marvel, you're sharing with District 3 and Glimmer. Clove with Lover Boy. Shelby, you're with me."_

 _Eventually I drift off to sleep, but it's horrid, interrupted by nightmares of Pete's death, my families and my own. I wake up screaming._

 _"Shh." I hear Cato comfort in a soothing voice. "It's alright. It was just a dream. You're alright. I got you." Although he doesn't climb in the sleeping bag with me, he lies next to me and slings his arms around my sleeping-bag-cocooned body that is shaking terribly. He pulls my face to his muscular chest and he strokes my hair. Since when was Cato the killer nice?_

 _I feel tears dribbling down my cheeks and I kick myself mentally. I am crying in front of a killer who singlehandedly killed Pete and almost strangled me yesterday. I am so dumb right now. He pulls away and wipes my face with his thumb._

 _"That looks like it hurts. Isn't there any softer rope?" Peeta asks, eying my sore, rope-rubbed wrists. Cato shrugs before going back to his food, glaring at Peeta._

 _Chapter 10- I stumble sleepily back to my tent and flop down on the bag. I hear Cato chuckle and lift me up, before placing me inside and tucking me in. The long night has hopefully given him time to calm down._

 _"Get some sleep." Cato whispers to me, lightly kissing my forehead as I sink into oblivion._

 _When I wake Cato's sleeping bag is right next to mine and his arm is around my waist, pulling me into his chest. He has a cute, sweet look when he's sleeping, funny seeing how wrong that is to the truth. He looks peaceful and...attractive. Just looking at him right now has my stomach doing flips and his touch is like electricity. I try to move out of his vice like grip but it completely backfires as his face frowns and his grip tightens! I growl in frustration before letting my body relax, meaning that my head is resting on his highly muscular chest. I blush slightly and feel his breathing change._

 _"Good morning, mermaid, looking pretty comfortable." He raises an eyebrow mockingly but I motion with bound hands to his arm, then raise an eyebrow back. He smirk falters slightly as he removes his arm quickly. I don't know how that happened." He insists, to which I nod._

 _"Of course you don't." I reply back, snide. He frowns, but stands up, as if to leave. "And Cato." I call out, making him look back. "It's afternoon." And I'm pretty sure the ends of his mouth move upwards and something, happiness (?) fills his eyes. And then it's gone and so is he._

 _"I'm not allowed to take it off." I tell him and I see Cato zone into our conversation. His eyes narrow at the sight of me and Peeta next to each other._

 _"What's not allowed to come off?" He asks, once again the career pack leader. I lift my wrists up to indicate my bonds. "No, there not." Cato agrees, smirking._

 _"They're stained with blood. She could get an infection." Peeta timidly informs Cato. Cato's eyes widen and he is instantly beside me. He carefully removes the rope and gasps in horror. On each wrist is a bloody circle, flesh, blood and dirt all over the wound._

 _"Get me some water and a medic kit." Cato tells Glimmer, his voice rising. She runs off and appears a few minutes later. He starts pouring water on and I yell out. The pain. It's excruciating._

 _"Let me. My mother was the doctor back in 1. I've handled stuff like this since I was in diapers." Marvel boasts. He disinfects, cleans and bandages up my wrists._

 _"Thank you." I thank him timidly. he beams at me._

 _"No trouble at all." He tells me. "I need to put some clean bandages on after we go hunting and maybe a fresh layer in the morning." I nod and Cato coughs, indicating Marvel to return to his seat. He sounded pissed. His eyes are trained on me._

 _"Are you alright?" He growls and I look at him surprise and confusion. What have I done?_

 _"I'm fine." I mutter and he nods._

 _Chapter 11- "I'm pretty sure that when I killed Pete you agreed to be mine. So you do as I say. You need to prove your worth. Kill him or I'll kill you." I cross my arms._

 _"Go on then." I dare him. "Kill me." He's practically roaring._

 _I lean into his chest._

 _"What's going on here?" Cato commands, from no where. I pull away and wipe my eyes. I see Cato standing at the doorway, angrily. His face slightly softens when he sees me. "What did you do to her?" Cato roars at Marvel._

 _"Nothing. I wouldn't hurt her. She was upset." So now I'm she. Cato turns to face me. He walks in and kneels beside my shuddering body. he gently wipes away some tears._

 _"I'm sorry." He whispers softly and I look at him. He actually apologised!_

 _Chapter 12- "Where's Shelby going to sleep?" Marvel asks Cato._

 _"She can have my bag." Cato says. I just love how they talk about me like I'm not here. Not._

 _"But then you'll be cold Cato! You can have mine! Or you can share with me!" Glimmer offers. Cato seems to have a lightbulb moment._

 _"Shelby can share with me." Everyone looks at Cato, then at me and then at Cato again. "What?" He growls. "Anyone got any other ideas?" people probably do but no one goes against Cato. His word is like law. "In." He tells me, motioning to the sleeping bag he is laying in. I feel my cheeks flush as I walk forward. He opens the bag and his eyes narrow at me. I climb in and his arm goes over my chest to shut the bag. I'm blushing furiously by this point. He looks at me and bursts out laughing._

 _"What?" I whine. "What's so funny?" He manages to stop laughing long enough to answer._

 _"You have gone so red!" He bursts out laughing and I huff, rolling onto my side so I'm facing away from him. I can feel and see Glimmer's gaze on us. She notice's me looking and glares at me, which I happily return. Why is she such a bitch? Cato manages to calm down and I feel him move, his muscular chest against my back, his hot breath on my ear, his head resting in the crook of my neck, his arm slings itself casually over my waist and I feel him drift off to sleep. Small, cute snores come out of his mouth and he looks like the kind of boy who I thought only lived in the tent back at camp. He nuzzles into me in his sleep and I blush and turn around. His other arm manages to come over, so he's more like hugging me, pulling me into his chest. I blush furiously but can't help but feel safe. Happy. I snuggle down sleepily and feel sleep over take me._

 _Chapter 13- I hear movement and look up to see Marvel walking over._

 _"Hey." He says. I smile slightly in response and he sits down next to me. "Just ignore Cato. He can't help being an oblivious ass, it just comes naturally to him." I smile more and Marvel chuckles. "Now there's that smile!" And just him saying that causes me to smile more until I can't help myself and I burst out laughing. Cato raises an eyebrow haughtily and Clove shakes her head and mutters something about weirdo's. "That's even better." Marvel chuckles at me laughing._

 _"Hey, 3, when will you be finished?" Cato interrupts._

 _"4." I hear Cato say; I ignore him. "4." Cato growls, getting irritated. Probably not a good thing to do but still, I don't move. I hear footsteps come up behind me and I know he's there. "Shelby, go to the tent." he hisses. I don't move._

 _"I'm not moving." I hiss._

 _"Fine." Cato says and I hope that he'll leave. After a brief pause he speaks again. "I guess I'm just going to have to make you." I feel his arms wrap around my body as he throws me carelessly over his shoulder._

 _"Put me down Cato!" I holler, pounding uselessly on his back. He chuckles and I growl. He is so irritating! he throws me down on my sleeping bag and I climb in and turn away from him. to my surprise I feel a warm body slip in beside me. "What are you doing, Cato?" I hiss and he laughs again._

 _"I felt cold and decided to try your sleeping bag instead." I roll my eyes and huff._

 _"Go away." I order, though it comes out more as a whine. Yet again he chuckles._

 _"Or it might've been because your funny when you blush." I shudder as I feel his breath on my ear. "Why don't we see how red you can go?" I feel him smirk against my neck as his lips press against it. What in Panem is this boy doing? On live TV! This will probably be playing on every screen in Panem! I try to hold back the blush but feel my cheeks tint pink. He casually slings an arm around my waist and pulls me into his highly chiselled chest. I feel my cheeks heat up more, despite my efforts to stop them, knowing that this is what he wants. I try to pull myself out of his grip but instead he tightens it and turns me around to face him. it's quite funny because although I didn't, he had a sting on his face so it looks weird, him looking at me with slush on him. But whatever._

 _"Don't try and fight it." He whispers huskily, causing me to shiver. "You know you want it."_

 _"I thought I told you I didn't." I reply, my voice sounding foreign._

 _"Maybe I'd believe that if you hadn't come so undone." he whispers back and holds me to his chest, the smells of sweat and the leaves fot the stings. His grip is inescapable and I feel him fall asleep. I sigh, my cheeks burning and eventually relax, falling asleep to the sound of his heart and the movement of his every breath._

 _Chapter 14- "Shelby, we need to go." That's Cato. He says it softly, taking my hand. I shake my head violently. "He's gone. He gets to go home." He tells me and I feel more tears trickle down my face. Cato pulls me to his chest as I burst into tears again. "Hey, we got to go now. Ok? let's get you back to camp." He picks me up bridal style and we continue to travel back to the cornucopia._

Cato loves me. The way he looks at me, acts so protective and jealous around others, especially boys. This whole time he didn't just want to fuck me, though maybe that was the first feeling he felt, but wanted to have me, say I was his own. But how I've reacted and felt. I'm pretty sure I love him too.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: Ok guys. I said for an update I'd need at least 10 #Calby's. And guess what? And I've had 1 in the past 12 days! *sigh*. So anyways, I decided that if no one was going to do it, then I'd have to just update, 'cos I love you guys and that (And I'm nearly at 1000 reads!). You can still do a #Calby throughout the book (it'd make me smile) if you want. But you've waited long enough. I give you chapter 16!**

I look at Cato. really look. His cheeks are flushed pink, his head turned to look away, his gaze to the floor. His hair is messed up from where he has obviously ran his hand through it many times while I was thinking, something he does when he's stressed or confused or doesn't know what to say or do.

"Cato, look at me." I order and he sheepishly turns his gaze to me, his icy blue eyes filled with emotion. "T-tell me you said what I think you said."

"I'm not saying it again." He spits with a surprising amount of venom.

"Tell me you said what I think you said." I repeat, the irritation evident in my tone. His eyes narrow.

"I'm not repeating it." He growls and I look at him sternly.

"I can't answer you if I'm not 100% sure what you mean." I reason, crossing my arms. He gulps, sighs and looks me in the eyes, as if he's looking into my soul.

"I love you." He whispers and he leans forward, his lips gently covering mine for a few seconds before he pulls away. "I shouldn't have done that." He says, panicked. He stands up abruptly and turns around to leave.

"Wait!" I cry out, causing him to spin around. "I - I, I love you too." His eyes widen for a second before he leans in again, capturing my lips. the first one was like sparks, fireworks. Forget all that, this is nuclear explosions, man! I wrap my hands in his hair, kissing him back, his arm resting on my cheek. The kiss is slow and beautiful. We, being human, have to pull away eventually. I place a hand lightly on my lips.

"Wow." I mutter and he chuckles.

"Yeah. Wow." I roll my eyes and remove my hands from his hair, while he rubs his thumb over my cheeks. "You are so gorgeous." he mumbles and my cheeks flush. He kisses my cheek softly, making my knees go weak before pulling me into a hug. "I'm going to keep you safe, don't you worry."

"Attention, tributes." Claudius Templesmith's voice fills the air. Cato keeps me pulled to his chest, as if his words could hurt me. "There has been a slight rule change. Now there can be 2 victors if they come from the same district." the voice cuts and I push Cato away and look up at him with wide eyes. His jaw is clenched, something he does when he's angry.

""Either they all want 12 to win, or they're testing me. trying to get me to leave you." he takes my hand in his large one, rather tightly actually. "I'm not leaving you." I look at Cato, my free hand running over his cheek.

"Don't let me hold you back Cato. You and Clove could both win this, go home." he takes my hand from his cheek with his other and looks me in the eye.

"I don't care if me and every other tribute in this bloody arena could go home if I left you. I love you and I won't leave you just because of a rule change. You'll stick with me and Clove until I either die or it's down to the 3 of us. then we'll figure out what to do."

"You know Cato, you could give me a sword, a few knives and a pack. I'm sure I'd be fine." I tell him and his hands tighten on mine.

"I'm not risking it." he mutters, kissing my forehead. "I'm not letting you go, now your mine." I roll my eyes at his protectiveness. He lets go of my hands, grabbing my cheeks and pulling my lips onto his. The kiss is filled with love and want, regret and uncertainty. We pull away, panting and gasping for air.

"Is it me, or do those get better everytime?" I ask and he chuckles. A sponsor gift flutters to the floor, bearing a 4. "About time." I mutter. "Thought you'd abandoned me Finnick." I pick it up and open it. Inside is a water bottle, pack of iodine, blanket, 3 rolls, knife and backpack. There's also a note.

 _Darling, you didn't need anything. There's no point sending you pointless things when I could be saving up for stuff like this. Just that roll cost a bloody fortune! Make sure lover boy behaves and keeps his hands up north. be careful, Shells, you're so close. Don't let love blind you._

 _F_

I smile, packing everything into the bag.

"Supplies." I tell Cato and he sighs in relief. I hand him a roll and eat mine, keeping the last for Clove, who's looking for anything salvageable. I almost moan at the taste of the bread. It's been so long since I ate properly. Just then, Clove bounds into view, a frown on her face.

"Why is she still here, Cato?" she growls, glaring at me.

"Cut it out Clove. She's staying until the end." Cato spits and Clove's glare intensifies.

"Cato Ludwig, do you _like_ this girl?!" She says, disapprovingly and Cato bows his head, like a child being scolded by it's mother.

"Yes." he admits.

"You know the rules, Cato." She hisses. "Careers don't love." He looks up, almost enraged.

"You know what, Clove? I'm not the boy from the Academy and from District 2! They say that the games changes people, especially those who make it out alive. Maybe the games have changed me, for the good. they've transformed me from a monster to a man. And I tell you this, Clove, I'd rather be like this than who I came in as. I love Shelby. So what? Is there a problem? Because she doesn't come from my district? Because she wasn't trained like us. Isn't like us at all? Because only one of us can make it out alive and it's me or her? Because trust me, Clove, I've thought about all of that a lot. And. I. Don't. Care! I love Shelby and if one of us is going to die, then I'm going to spend everything second I've got left loving her!" he shouts and Clove steps back, bewildered.

"What about you? Do you love him?" Clove spits to me and I nod.

"Yeah. I do love him." I reply, folding my arms to prove that I'll fight out my case. She rolls her eyes and sighs.

"Fine. if I can't stop you, all I have is one request..." Me and Cato look at each other and then back to Clove. "I want a minimum amount of PDA, alright?!" Cato chuckles and nods pulling me to him.

"Alright, Clovey, I'll try my best." She nods and looks at us.

"Now here's the real question. have I got a roll too?" I laugh, chucking her, her roll, which she greedily eats up. 'Keep sending these Finnick. They're my peace' I think.


	17. Chapter 17

That night, Cato pulls me to his chest, as we lay together in the sleeping bag.

"I love you, Shelby." he whispers to me and I chuckle pulling on his shirt, so he leans down to where my head is.

"I love you too, Cato. Now will you kiss me?" I pout and it's his turn to chuckle, before he pulls me into a long, sweet kiss. I lay my head on his bare chest, tracing shapes over his muscles as he strokes my hair.

"Night, night, Shelly." he whispers and I close my eyes, feeling forever safe in his arms.

When I wake up in the morning, Cato's awake and kissing my face.

"Good." kiss. "Morning." Kiss. "Mermaid." kiss. I giggle, snuggling into his chest.

"I love you, Cato." I whisper, looking into his big, blue eyes. He beams and pulls me to his chest.

"You know I dreamed about you saying that." He mutters. "And kissing me. Being held in my arms. Falling asleep in my hold." I roll my eyes and kiss his neck, seeing as I can't reach his face. "Oh, your kissing me now? Uh, uh. It's my go and I'm going to kiss my girl as much as I damn well want." he teases, leaning down and pecking kisses across my face. My forehead, my nose, my cheeks, my lips, my neck, my arms, my ears. Then he does it all over again.

"Cato." I call out, my voice raspy, causing him to chuckle into my skin then smirk as I shudder. His lips continue to glide across me, tickling my skin and leaving me feeling giddy and my skin tingling from his touch. After about 10 minutes I cross my arms.

"Cato, it's my turn now." I pout and he shakes his head.

"I told you, I'm going to kiss you as much as I damn well please." he places me on the ground and hovers over me, gazing lovingly into my eyes. He licks his lips and places his kisses over me again. I sigh, allowing him to continue, knowing he'll stop when he bores of it. It takes ages but he eventually finishes, slumping beside me and nuzzling into my neck. "I love you." he mutters and I kiss his nose.

"I love you too." Seeing as we've lost 2 careers now, we decide against hunting. We spend the day in each others embraces. I breath in his now familiar smell, of pine cones and sweat, his smell. I receive a sponsor gift from Finnick, of 3 portions of stew, which me and Cato feed each other, while Clove grumbles over her own. As the darkness falls and the sky says that no ones died, Cato turns to me.

"Can you sing?" He asks and I nod cautiously. "Will you sing me to sleep?" I nod.

"Alright." I close my eyes for a second, take Cato's hand in mine and look into his eyes.

"Are you, are you, coming to the tree.  
Where they strung up a man, they say who murdered three,  
Strange things would happen here, no stranger would it be,  
If we met, at midnight, in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you, coming to the tree,  
Where the dead man called out, for his love to flee,  
Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be,  
If we met, at midnight, in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you, coming to the tree,  
Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free,  
Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be,  
If we met, at midnight, in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you, coming to the tree,  
Wear a necklace of hope, side by side with me,  
Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be,  
If we met, at midnight, in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you, coming to the tree,  
Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free,  
Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be,  
If we met, at midnight, in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you, coming to the tree,  
Where they strung up a man, they say who murdered three,  
Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be,  
If we met, at midnight, in the hanging tree.

Are you. are you, coming to the tree,  
Where the dead man called out, for his love to flee,  
Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be,  
If we met, at midnight, in the hanging tree."

I finish the song and glance at Cato. he smiles at me, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"That was beautiful, babe." He whispers, causing me to blush. "Come here to me." he mutters and I comply, laying on his chest, listening to the thump of his heart, the up and down of his chest as he breaths. "I love you." he murmurs and I snuggle into him, his warmth spreading through me.

"I love you too, Cato. More than you could ever know." he sighs.

"We kind of found love in a hopeless place." he mutters and I chuckle.

"We found love in the Hunger Games. In a death match. How cliché." That makes him laugh.

"Sing something else to me." he asks and I sigh dramatically.

"ok." I sing song and prepare myself to sing. I watch him close his eyes, content on using my next song as a lullaby.

"Yellow diamonds in the light,  
Now we're standing side by side,  
As your shadow crosses mine,  
What it takes to come alive,

It's the way I'm feeling,  
I just can't deny,  
But I got to let it go.

We found love in hopeless place,  
We found love in a hopeless place,  
We found love in a hopeless place,  
We found love in a hopeless place.

Shine a light through an open door,  
Love and life I will divide,  
Turn away 'cause I need you more,  
feel the heartbeat in my mind,

It's the way I'm feeling,  
I just can't deny,  
But I've got to let it go.

We found love in a hopeless place,  
We found love in a hopeless place,  
We found love in a hopeless place,  
We found love in a hopeless place.

Yellow diamonds in the light,  
Now we're standing side by side,  
As your shadow crosses mine, mine, mine, mine.

We found love in a hopeless place,  
We found love in a hopeless place,  
We found love in a hopeless place,  
We found love in a hopeless place.

We found love in a hopeless place,  
We found love in a hopeless place,  
We found love in a hopeless place,  
We found love in a hopeless place." I finish the song and look up at Cato, who has a hollowed out expression.

"You're the giddy limit." He sighs, kissing my forehead and closing his eyes. I sigh, tightening my arms around him as is he could slip away. I won't let him slip away. I love him. I will always love him.


	18. Chapter 18

_**AN: Just to say, updates will be coming slower, for all stories, maybe a few updates a week overall. Summers over now and I am super busy. Sorry.**_

 _"Attention tributes. At sunrise ,tomorrow, there will be a feast. Each of you need something desperately and this could be your last chance. That is all."_

My eyes blink open, the sun to bright for their liking. Feast's weren't unusual, they were used when supplies were getting low, Capitol favourites were dying and/or the death's were getting less frequent. this was probably designed for Katniss and Peeta, if they'd been smart enough to ally up, seeing as it was most likely made for them and this was for medicine for Peeta's cut, from Cato. Yet it was disguised by giving us all a chance for something. I'm pretty sure I don't need anything ,though.

"Hey, mermaid, Clove wants to move out and strategize." I hear Cato say. I groan, rolling over sleepily.

"5 more minutes." I grumble and I hear him chuckle.

"I'd say it's probably in your best interest to get up now, mermaid, or else I'm going to have to wake you up...Unless you _want_ me to wake you up." I mentally roll my eyes, deciding to ignore him and go back to dreamland. That's when I feel it. Oh damn it. He's tickling me. I giggle, trying to escape his fingers that chase me, tickling me so bad. Let's just say it wakes me up. About 10 minutes later he stops, laying down next to me, as I catch my breath, panting and giggling. Gosh, I sound like I'm drunk!

"C-Cato, y-y-you ar-are s-s-o d-dead." I get out. He frowns at me, shaking his head.

"I warned you." He teases and I shake my head in reply, pouting.

"It wasn't very nice." I scold him and that's his cue to pout.

"How about if I made it up to you." He offers, causing me to raise an eyebrow.

"What do you have in mind?" I ask. My reply is a smirk. Before I can register what's happening, his lips are pressed onto mine, moving rythmnatically with my own, that I hadn't even noticed were kissing him back. He pulls away.

"Am I forgiven?" I rejoin our lips and when we part again, look into his eyes, smirking.

"Absolutely." That brings on another kiss.

"Uh-hm. What did I say about PDA? And come on, we've got work to do." Clove snaps, causing us to spring away.

"I, uh, we were, um, we were just..." Cato mumbles, running his hand through his hair awkwardly.

"You were just making out?" Clove teases.

"Yes!" Cato agrees, glad to be able to get his point across. "I mean no!" He disagrees with himself, realising what he just said. Clove smirks.

"Come on guys, lets move out!" We pack up our things and hide in some shrubs on the perimeter.

"So, Girl on Fire will obviously be collecting Lover boys medicine because of his current...immobility." Clove snarls and I find Cato's hand, leaning against his chest. I hated that he's hurt Peeta, but it was what he was trained to do and Peeta _had_ been lying to him and using him, so it wasn't cold blooded.

"I'll take Girl on Fire." Cato growls. "No one drops a nest on my girl and gets away with it." I feel my cheeks heat up, kissing his cheek, before snuggling back into his chest.

"No. I only got my bloodbath kills. You've had 4, 8, 3 and a shot at her and 12. I'm taking her tomorrow." Clove argues.

"I said I was taking her!" Cato hisses. Clove picks up a knife and positions it ready to throw.

"Fine. You can have Girl on Fire and _I'll_ take the little mermaid." No sooner had the words left her mouth had Cato pulled me closer to his head and stood up defensively.

"You will _not_ touch Shelby. Or I will not hesitate to stab you through the heart right now without a second thought." Cato threatens and Clove seems taken aback by this. She stands up and drops the knife to the ground.

"I get Fire Girl or I'll slit her throat in her sleep." She storms off, causing Cato to growl. It rippling through his stomach. Cato tightens his grip on me. He leans down and whispers in my ear,

"Don't worry, I won't let her hurt you." I lean into his chest, closing my eyes.

"So, who takes Katniss?" He sighs.

"Clove. She doesn't carry out empty threats and I don't want her hurting you." I turn around and kiss him, on the lips. The kiss is sweet, treasured, reassuring. When we pull away I smile up at him.

"You know, the one good thing about these Games were that I got to meet you." I whisper and before I can register anything, he's pulled me to his chest, resting his head in the crook of my neck and pulling me to him.

"I love you." He murmurs.

"I love you too." I mumble back, my face muffled from his hug.

"You made your decision?" I hear Clove shout, not turning to look at us. Does she have a burning passion for destroying and ruining our romantic moments.

"Y-Y-You c-can have h-her." Cato grumbles, not used to giving in. I made a mental note, to make him give into me one day. Clove turns to us, grinning sadistically.

"Good. Your girlfriend can live a little longer." I feel Cato flinch, his arms tightening around me slightly.

"Anyway, for strategy, I'll wait for Fire Girl to show up before I'll run and torture her. Until she dies. Then we're killing 2 birds with one stone. You wait for me to finish, then we'll get our 2 packs and kill any other tributes who challenge us. You can go after any tributes that you see whilst waiting for me. I don't need protection." Cato nods curtly.

"We should get some rest, wanna be ready for tomorrow." Cato decides. "And Clove, don't even think about touching Shells." Clove rolls her eyes, nodding. Cato sets up the sleeping bag and then we cuddle together, the temperature having dropped massively. I'm cold, even with Cato. how cold must the other tributes be? I feel Cato running his hands through my hair.

"Get some sleep, babe." Cato murmurs, kissing my cheek. I nod, nuzzling into him and closing my eyes. Sleep takes a while to come, but when it arrives, it's an instant relief.


End file.
